Israel reopens crossings; UN says 600,000 Gazans face food shortage

Wednesday July 02, 2008 14:18 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Israel announced on Wednesday that it will open the border crossings used to supply Gaza with goods and fuel according to orders by the Israeli defense minister Ehod Barak.

Palestinian children protesting the Israeli 12month long siege on Gaza – Photo by IMEMC's Ghassan Bannoura 2008

Barak had ordered the army to close the border crossings on Tuesday after claims of Hamas violating the cease-fire deal with Israel and firing a home made shell at an Israeli area near Gaza.

Meanwhile the Palestinian Center for Human Rights PCHR based in Gaza announced today that Israel has kept the border crossings closed between the May 25th and June 25th 2008 and did not open them as the truce deal states.

Two weeks ago both Israel and Palestinian Resistance factions in Gaza agreed to a truce in the Gaza Strip, after long Egyptian mediation efforts. The ceasefire initially includes the Gaza Strip, on which Israel has been enforcing a crippling closure since June of last year.

The ceasefire deal stipulates that Hamas will cease firing homemade shells into Israeli territory in exchange for Israel lifting the 12 month-blockade and ceasing all military attacks against the Gaza Strip.

In recent reports by the United Nations at least 600,000 of Gaza's total population of 1.5 Million are unable to obtain their full need of their daily food.

gaza strip | truce | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org