This report monitors access in and out
of the Gaza Strip. Movement in and out of the Gaza Strip is controlled
through:
- Erez crossing for Palestinian workers
and merchants and medical referrals who have permits to enter Israel;
- Erez crossing for international organisations;
- Rafah crossing, between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, for access to other countries, including for overseas medical referrals; and
- Four commercial crossings, of which Karni crossing is the largest.
- Palestinian access to the sea is controlled by IDF naval vessels.
- All movement between Israel and the Gaza Strip is controlled by the Israeli authorities.(1) Fences and a concrete wall surround the Gaza Strip and sea access is restricted. (2)
1. Erez crossing
a. Access for Palestinian workers and traders into Israel (see Figure 1)
Movement of Palestinan workers and traders through Erez crossing increased significantly from 13 November until 5 December 2005, with some 4,000 workers and around 200 traders crossing daily in the first week of December. Following the Netanya suicide bombing on 5 December that killed five Israelis and injured 58 others, the crossing closed and remained closed until 12 December. With its reopening, again more than 4,000 workers and 200 traders crossed daily into Israel. However, Erez crossing closed again on 16 December in response to Palestinian militants' firing of rockets from the northen Gaza Strip into Israel. (3)
b. Restrictions on medical referrals (see Figure 2)
Medical referrals require passage through Erez crossing for treatment in Israel.
In December 98% of all medical requests through Erez crossing were granted passage by Israeli authorities.
c. Access for humanitarian organisations
International humanitarian organisations require prior coordination with Israeli authorities to enter and leave the Gaza Strip throug Erez crossing. A small number of high-level Palestinian UN staff members are permitted to cross.
2. Karni crossing (see Figure 3)
Most goods imported into the Gaza Strip and all exported goods pass through Karni crossing. (4)
a. Commercial goods
On 15 November, an agreement was reached between the Government of Israel (GoI) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) "... facilitating the movement of people and goods within the Palestinian territorires and on opening an international crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border that will put the Palestinians in control of the entry and exit of people" (the 15 November Agreement). Since the 15 November Agreement the daily average volume of imported goods have remained stable while exports have increased.
In December 2005, 66% of imported goods arrived from Israel, 14% from the West Bank and 20% from other parts of the world.
The number of truckloads of exported goods in December almost doubled compared to last month (November 2005). The highest number of truckloads of exported goods in any day in December was 100 (15 December), bringing the daily average for that month to 56. The stated goal in the 15 November Agreement is the export of 150 truckloads daily by the end of the year. This month, 53% of exports were destined for Israel, 15% for the West Bank and 32% to other parts of the world.
b. Humanitarian supplies
Humanitarian supplies, of which the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) handle about 90%, enter the Gaza Strip through Karni crossing. Since February 2005, there has been a steady flow of humanitarian containers (20 feet equivalent units - TFEUs) through the crossing. UNRWA managed through coordination with the Israeli authorities to transport all of its humanitarian goods to the Gaza Strip prior to Israel's disengagement. This is reflected in the decline in the flow of goods from September onwards.(5)
Footnotes:
(1) Rafah crossing is no longer controlled by Israeli authorities. See below for developments on the crossing.
(2) The Palestinian airport in the Gaza Strip has been closed since the beginning og the second intifada in late September 2000. The 15 November Agreement mentions "an understanding between the parties [the PA and the GoI] on the importance of an operating Palestinian airport..." although no agreement has been reached on reopening the airport.
(3) This closure lasted until 22 Janaury 2006, with the exception of some Palestinian traders allowed passage into Israel on 17 January.
(4) The other four commercial crossings in the Gaza Strip are Rafah, Sufa for construction materials and Nahal Oz for fuel. Some goods (mainly vehicles) are also imorted through Erez crossing.
(5) Data for last four days of November and for December is currently not available. See coming January 2006 Gaza Access Report for updated numbers.
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