On 21 November – after eight days of a military escalation that cost the lives of at least 165 Palestinians and six Israelis and caused tens of millions of dollars worth of damage to Gaza’s civilian infrastructure – the Government of Israel and Hamas signed what appeared to be a groundbreaking ceasefire agreement.
As well as ending the escalation, the agreement also committed to “open the crossings and facilitate the movement of people and transfer of goods” in and out of Gaza.
One year later, despite overall improvements in security, Israel’s blockade of Gaza continues and the promised improvements to the lives of Palestinian civilians have not materialized. The blockade has devastated the lives and livelihoods of Gaza’s population: 80 percent of people in Gaza receive international aid, 57 percent of households are food insecure, exports are virtually non-existent, many basic services are barely functioning, and unemployment is over 35 percent and rising.
-- In the past year, Israel has carried out 19 airstrikes and over 300 incidents of border and naval fire, causing seven fatalities and at least 132 injuries.
-- So far in 2013, there have been over 150 incidents of Israeli naval fire against Gaza fishermen – a 40% increase over the past two years.
Full Report
http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=d7bf98037b5abfd4c69593c62&id=a08ab5d83a
Gaza Update - November 2013
http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=d7bf98037b5abfd4c69593c62&id=f86aabf0cb
Oxfam: How the blockade is throttling Gaza’s economy
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressrelease/2013-11-21/one-year-gaza-ceasefire-economic-benefits-palestinians-not-materialized
One year after “ceasefire,” Gaza’s suffering deepens
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/one-year-after-ceasefire-gazas-suffering-deepens
Gaza becoming uninhabitable as blockade tightens, says UN
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/22/gaza-uninhabitable-blockade-united-nations?CMP=twt_gu
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