Six human rights organizations submitted an urgent request to the Israeli Supreme Court to order the Minister of Defense to open the crossings into the Gaza Strip for the regular supply of food stuffs, medicines, fuel, and other essential products. The urgent request was submitted after no decision has been issued in a court petition heard in the middle of July, by Justices Aharon Barak, Dorit Beinish and Eliezer Rivlin. The petition and the request were filed by Adv. Azem Bishara from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and Adv. Sari Bashi, Executive Director of Gisha, on behalf of: ACRI, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual, B’‘tselem, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) and Gisha.
The urgent request was filed today in light of severe shortages in Gaza caused by Israel`s closure of the crossings into Gaza. Israel maintains complete control over the passage of goods into the Gaza Strip.
Since 15 August 2006, the request notes, Israel has completely prevented the entrance of supplies via Karni Crossing, including food, fuel, spare parts, and construction materials. Prior to August 15, Israel permitted Karni Crossing to open only partially, for imports but not for exports, and for limited periods of time. Additional crossings, including the Nahal Oz Crossing through which fuel is transferred to the Gaza Strip, are opened intermittently and insufficiently. The closing of Karni, the petitioners note, endangers the ability of UNRWA to supply food to 830,000 needy people in the Gaza Strip. More than 59% of the residents of the Gaza Strip are living under the threat that they will not receive the food assistance on which they depend.
As a result of the shortage in basic supplies, the price of flour has risen 15% and the price of sugar has risen 33% in Gaza. The closure has caused shortages in fuel trucked in through Karni, for which the need has risen since the Israeli Air Force bombed the power stations in the Gaza Strip on June 28. The fuel is needed by UNRWA to power the generators now used to operate clinics, to refrigerate food and medicine and to conduct humanitarian work in Gaza. As of 24 August 2006 UNRWA had only one week’‘s supply of fuel to run its health clinics and schools. Since the bombing of the power station, Gaza residents receive electricity only 6-8 hours per day.
The frequent closures of Karni Crossing prevent the entrance of building supplies needed to repair civilian infrastructure in Gaza damaged by the Israeli Air Force bombings and the ground fighting in the Strip. These supplies are needed in order to repair and open the schools for the new school year which begins next month. Aid organizations in Gaza continue to note a steady rise in cases of diarrhea, especially amongst children – a disease related to a lack of clean water and adequate food, properly preserved. A steady supply of fuel and replacement parts is needed to refrigerate food, to repair water pipes, and to operate the sewage and water system.
In its response to the petition last month, the state claimed that it was monitoring the situation in Gaza “as best as possible under the circumstances” and that it permits a “reasonable supply” of humanitarian assistance. In their response, the organizations argue that the obligation of the state is not limited to preventing starvation. They argue that the Israeli military is obligated to permit access to the full panoply of necessary supplies to meet the basic needs of Gaza residents and to allow them to conduct normal lives. This obligation includes opening Gaza`s crossings to the passage of supplies needed for the regular operation of health services, education and commerce. At the very least, the organizations said, Israel is required by international humanitarian law to permit aid organizations to provide assistance to a population that has been hard hit and is in need of this aid.
last updated : 28/08/06
