NEW YORK, March 1: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has severely criticised the Israeli government for its continuous blocking of Gaza and the “desperately needed aid from entering the territory”.

In a statement issued here, the watchdog group asked international donors to call upon Israel “to end its punishing blockade of the territory and to allow needed humanitarian assistance and normal commerce to resume”.

Israel effectively controls Gaza’s borders and airspace. Human Rights Watch said that the blockade, which has been in place since June 2007, after Hamas took control of Gaza, amounts to collective punishment of the civilian population, a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Representatives of prospective donor countries are meeting in the Egyptian Sinai resort town of Sharm al-Sheikh on Monday for a one-day conference. Human Rights Watch said that ending the blockade was absolutely critical to any prospects for reconstruction and economic recovery.

Among those attending will be US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the EU high representative for common foreign and security policy, Javier Solana.

“All the pledges of aid this conference is expected to produce will be worth next to nothing if the donors do not demand that Israel open the borders to commercial goods as well as humanitarian essentials,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “This unlawful blockade is the primary impediment to reconstruction and to the economic activity that is essential to any society.”

According to the United Nations, Gaza needs a minimum of 500 trucks of humanitarian aid and commercial goods every day. Israeli authorities have told humanitarian agencies that they would allow up to 150 trucks a day. However, the actual number has not exceeded 120, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
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