NEW YORK, 1 February 2008 — Israel’s blockade of Gaza denies 1.4 million Palestinians the food, fuel and medicine they need to survive, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday, calling it collective punishment and a violation of international law.
“The Israeli and Western economic embargo of Gaza, Israel’s almost total closure of Gaza border crossings, ongoing lawlessness in the occupied Palestinian territories, and heightened Israeli restrictions on the freedom of movement in the West Bank contributed to a serious human rights and humanitarian crisis,” said the US-based international rights group.
Israel imposed a total lockdown on the impoverished territory on Jan. 17. “The general population has borne the brunt of Israel’s measure in Gaza,” HRW said.
The group said Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s decision to cut fuel and electricity supplies to Gaza constituted “collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population in violation of international humanitarian law.”
The Israeli Cabinet had in September declared the Gaza Strip a “hostile entity” because of continuing rocket attacks by Palestinians.
“The Israeli Army’s continued failure to investigate civilian death and injury where there was evidence of a laws of war violation reinforces a culture of impunity in the army and robs victims of an effective remedy,” HRW said.
Israel also continued to restrict freedom of movement in the West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem and “to expand illegal settlements in the West Bank,” the HRW report said.
