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An aerial view of the West Bank separation fence, near Jerusalem. (AP)
Last update - 17:07 13/12/2007
Red Cross: Israel worsening Palestinian humanitarian crisis
By Reuters
Tags: human rights 

Israeli restrictions have caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank that is growing worse, leaving hospitals unable to treat the sick and keeping farmers off their land, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the humanitarian agency called on Israel to "lift the retaliatory measures which are paralyzing life in Gaza" and urged Palestinian factions to stop targeting civilian areas and putting lives at risk.

"The measures imposed by Israel come at an enormous humanitarian cost, leaving the people living under occupation with just enough to survive, but not enough to live a normal and dignified life," said Beatrice Megevand Roggo, the ICRC's head of operations for the Middle East and North Africa.
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The Palestinian population has "effectively become a hostage to the conflict," she said.

The ICRC said Israel's "severe restrictions" on the movement of people and goods, imposed to tighten security, had deepened economic woes and affected every aspect of life in the West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

"The Palestinian Territories face a deep human crisis, where millions of people are denied their human dignity. Not once in a while, but every day," the Geneva-based agency said.

Most crossing points have been closed to the 1.4 million Palestinians living in Gaza since the violent clashes between Hamas and Fatah-affiliated forces that led to a Hamas takeover in June this year.

The ICRC estimated that 5,000 farmers in Gaza and their families relying on exports of cash crops like carnations and strawberries were "about to suffer a 100 percent drop in sales."

"The harvest season for these important crops started in June, but the embargo on exports has left them rotting in containers at the crossing points," it said.

Getting medical care or studying in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Israel or abroad has also become "nearly impossible," except for those needing life-saving treatment, the ICRC said.

Some 823 sick people - nearly one-quarter of the 3,568 requiring medical care outside Gaza - were prevented from leaving the territory for treatment over the last six months, spokesman Florian Westphal said.

Administrative and security clearance delays "have resulted in the deaths of three patients in favor of whom the ICRC had intervened," he said, noting restrictions had also caused a shortage of drugs for cancer patients and a lack of spare parts for emergency wards and operating theaters in Gaza's hospitals.

In the West Bank, the ICRC said many Palestinians have been powerless to prevent the confiscation of their land.

As a result of the West Bank separation fence, which runs partially inside Palestinian territory, it said "large tracts of farming land have been out of reach for farmers," who must fight through "a bureaucratic maze" to get permits needed to reach their fields.

Many applications are rejected on security grounds, which "may include a relative once having been in an Israeli prison."

The ICRC depends on its neutrality to distribute emergency aid and help victims of conflict and violence around the world.

It stressed that while Israel has the right to protect its population, "there should always be a sound balance between Israel's security concerns and the protection of the rights and liberties of the Palestinians living under occupation."

"So far, the balance between the legitimate Israeli security concerns and the right of the Palestinian people to live a normal life has not been struck," it said.



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  • Physicians for Human Rights: Only most severely wounded Palestinians allowed into Israel
  • Dying of occupation - a case of cancer and the Israeli right
  • UN: West Bank fence severs Palestinans farmers from fields
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      1.   INVADE, RETAKE W.BANK, GAZA, SOLVE ALL CRISES))))) 16:38  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 13/12/07
      2.   No food for Pals? No problem - 16:51  |  angry as hell 13/12/07
      3.   The Right Balance Hasn`t Been Struck My SSSS 17:09  |  Brad 13/12/07
      4.   Red Cross missed the most importants point: Hizb U-Tahrir 17:10  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/12/07
      5.   Hey Red Cross: Heard From Gilad Yet? 17:13  |  Cool Tex 13/12/07
      6.   The only people worsening the palestinian humanitarian crisis... 17:13  |  Jordan 13/12/07
      7.   ICRC..neutrality..emergency aid..help victims of conflict..violen 17:14  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/12/07
      8.   it`s in their control 17:16  |  Esteban 13/12/07
      9.   F..the ICRC,they`ve lied about having access to Shalit 17:22  |  Absolute Sweden 13/12/07
      10.   ICRC incompetence 17:22  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 13/12/07
      11.   how about Shalit, Goldwasser & Regev Red Cross? 17:27  |  Israeli 13/12/07
      12.   Palistinian Crisis 17:29  |  Morris Amsel 13/12/07
      13.   bias report I`m sure 17:38  |  edgar 13/12/07
      14.   Red Cross - Mouthpiece of Arabs 17:40  |  * BEN JABO 13/12/07
      15.   But the kassams continue and so does the supply of electricity ! 17:42  |  redmike 13/12/07
      16.   hey red cross heard of kassamim? 17:43  |  moshe 13/12/07
      17.   Humanitarian Crisis 17:44  |  JB 13/12/07
      18.   Red Cross - shame on you! 17:49  |  Manashe 13/12/07
      19.   We need to disown Israel .... 17:56  |  Dutch 13/12/07
      20.   Money greed of ICRC officials,a Danish example 17:56  |  Absolute Sweden 13/12/07
      21.   The Red Cross should ask WHY? 17:58  |  Alicia 13/12/07
      22.   What ..me worry? 18:04  |  Nat weinstein 13/12/07
      23.   The palestinians 18:05  |  Peter SM 13/12/07
      24.   #19 DEMENTED DUTCH - You should be ashamed 18:10  |  * BEN JABO 13/12/07
      25.   Terrorism - What Isreal Does Best 18:17  |  gearoid 13/12/07
      26.   So what? 18:18  |  Mark Lincoln 13/12/07
      27.   Dutch - STOP HIDING BEHIND YOUR COMPUTER... COME 18:28  |  n 13/12/07
      28.   Absolute Sweden: this will make you scream! 18:29  |  Alicia 13/12/07
      29.   Gazans look well nourished,clothed compared to African Refugees 18:33  |  Alan 13/12/07
      30.   If they are so concerned 18:34  |  Ron 13/12/07
      31.   A Big Thank You to the International Red cross 18:42  |  Dutch 13/12/07
      32.   Hate and fear are blinding us. 18:42  |  Terry 13/12/07
      33.   The people that voted Hamas into power aer suffering .... oh dear 18:43  |  Not Olmerts friend 13/12/07
      34.   Dutch #19 18:44  |  Gary 13/12/07
      35.   # 22 Nat Weinstein 18:44  |  Nick Ferriman 13/12/07
      36.   # 21 Alicia 18:50  |  Nick Ferriman 13/12/07
      37.   Dutch#19 - you never "OWNED" Israel 18:51  |  William 13/12/07
      38.   With all the Arab oil money 18:52  |  David 13/12/07
      39.   21# Alicia 19:00  |  Anne 13/12/07
      40.   31 hey dutch, "...they come back sick to their stomachs." 19:05  |  angry as hell 13/12/07
      41.   Anne and Nick: WHY Israel needs self-defend? 19:11  |  Alicia 13/12/07
      42.   Palestinians worsening Sderot humanitarian crisis 19:15  |  Ben 13/12/07
      43.   What do the Pals expect?? 19:16  |  DC Dave 13/12/07
      44.   IRC 19:16  |  TelHadar 13/12/07
      45.   Dear Neutral Humanitarian Red Cross 19:19  |  lily 13/12/07
      46.   #35 Ferriman the racist 19:20  |  peter 13/12/07
      47.   Red Cross failing its mission due failure to maintain neutrality 19:23  |  Dr. L. Brnd 13/12/07
      48.   Anne: Because you are obvioulsy stupid... 19:27  |  Ben 13/12/07
      49.   William, You may be a proud and successful naton 19:43  |  Dutch 13/12/07
      50.   Cannot put humantiarian crisis above self-preservation 19:49  |  JJ 13/12/07
      51.   #40 Israeli arrogance 19:51  |  Dutch 13/12/07
      52.   My thoughts exactly, William 19:52  |  JJ 13/12/07
      53.   Brnd 19:54  |  Palestinian Brit 13/12/07
      54.   To end crisis send terrorist settlers back home to Israel or Euro 19:55  |  anti-racist 13/12/07
      55.   Who would believe that the grandchildren of Holocaust victims 19:56  |  Apartheid 13/12/07
      56.   Let them complain to hamas, they elected these terrorists. 20:15  |  Avraham 13/12/07
      57.   Dr. Brnd, Your laughable nonsense 20:22  |  Dutch 13/12/07
      58.   Zero Truth in red cross Hogwash!! 20:23  |  Hader 13/12/07
      59.   55 aparth What on earth could you possibly know of the Holocaust? 20:27  |  son of a survivor 13/12/07
      60.   Humanitarian crisis 20:31  |  Bruria L. 13/12/07
      61.   #55Apartheid 20:37  |  Janice 13/12/07
      62.   #55 Israeli policies in the territory like life under Pinochet`s 20:40  |  Dutch 13/12/07
      63.   To Dutch - Where is your shame? 20:49  |  Zeidan 13/12/07
      64.   # 1 Voice of stupidity 20:52  |  Realistic Arab 13/12/07
      65.   Beware of the trolls!! 21:02  |  Stan 13/12/07
      66.   This bit that dutch & co will ignore 21:02  |  Adrian de Klerk 13/12/07
      67.   So much hatred 21:04  |  Boycott 13/12/07
      68.   palis did it to themselves! 21:06  |  Igor D. 13/12/07
      69.   israel has been blockaded by arabs 21:07  |  rich 13/12/07
      70.   Janice - weapons come in so can humanitarian goods!! 21:09  |  Mustafa