By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
GAZA CITY, Gaza – On January 23, thousands of Gazans crossed their southern border into Egypt. Within hours, stores in Rafah ran out of products and many Palestinians traveled to El Arish, the closest town with shops. The most desired products included food staples and plastic containers of fuel. However, many cigarettes and other non-essentials were purchased as well.
Gazans were able to cross the border easily since 17 explosives went off between midnight and 2am and destroyed nearly two-thirds of the Egypt-Gaza barrier. In some areas, militants cut portion of the corrugated metal barrier that separates Gaza from Egypt. In other areas, Palestinians used caterpillars to widened holes created by the explosions. Estimates of Palestinians who crossed the border vary from 50,000 to over 350,000.
Israel expressed concern regarding Egypt’s lack of control of the Gaza border. Officials within the Israeli Defense Force called the border breach a “first-class security risk.” They argue since anyone can leave Gaza, anyone can enter Gaza. Defense officials believe that militants will take advantage of the situation and smuggle weapons into the territory.
However, despite an agreement with Israel to secure their border, Egypt has said that it will not use force to send Palestinians back to Gaza. Instead, Hossam Zaki, spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, stated that the border will be closed again when all the Palestinians have returned. Also, Egyptian President Mubarak claimed that he authorized the crossing; saying “I told them, let them come in to eat and buy food, then go back as long as they’re not carrying any weapons.”
In contrast, on January 22, Palestinians protestors and Egyptian police clashed at the Rafah crossing; resulting in 60 Palestinians and 10 Egyptian police officers injured. According to the Associated Press, several thousand Palestinian women gathered at the Rafah crossing, protesting Egyptian cooperation with the Israeli “siege” on Gaza. Many protestors sought entry into Egypt in order to purchase necessities. When dozens of Palestinians crossed the border, witnesses state that the police used water canons and gunfire to disperse the protestors. However, according to an Al Jazeera report, the gunfire came from the Palestinian side of the border.
On January 17, Israel closed its border with Gaza. This closure resulted in the fuel shortage, which instigated the border breach and the clash at the Rafah border crossing. UN officials and humanitarian organizations warned Israel that the continuation of the border closure would result in a serious humanitarian crisis. Israel lifted the total closure on January 22 to allow industrial diesel fuel, cooking gas, and emergency food and medical aid into Gaza.
However, the manager of the Nusseirat power plant warns that while the plant is currently operating, it may re-close at any time due to a lack in fuel supplies. The lack in power has many implications regarding other essential services; including water, sewage treatment and hospital services.
The UN General Assembly had an emergency session concerning the situation in Gaza. On January 22, the UN criticized Israel’s closure as collective punishment. Currently, a resolution condemning the closure as a human rights violation is before the General Assembly. Israel plans to boycott the resolution vote as it does not mention the rockets launched from Gaza. According to Israeli officials, 20 rockets were launched on Tuesday.
For more information, please see:
Guardian – Palestinians Pour into Egypt After Militants Blow Hole in Border Barrier – 24 January 2008
Ha’aretz – Hamas Takes Control at Frontier as 200,000 Gazans Enter Egypt – 24 January 2008
Times – Hamas ‘Spent Month Cutting Through Gaza Wall in Secret Operation’ – 24 January 2008
BBC – Egypt Reluctant to Check Gaza’s Surge – 23 January 2008
BBC – Egypt ‘Won’t Force Gazans Back’ – 23 January 2008
The Jurist – Israel, US Boycotting UN Rights Council Meeting on Gaza Blockade – 23 January 2008
UN Human Rights Council – A.HRC.S-L.1 – 23 January 2008
Yedioth – ‘Flour? Terrorists Crossing Through Rafah’ – 23 January 2008
Al Jazeera – Angry Gazans Storm Rafah Crossing – 22 January 2008
Al Jazeera – Gazans Clash with Egyptian Police at Rafah – 22 January 2008
Associated Press – Clashes Erupt at Gaza-Egypt Border – 22 January 2008
BBC – Israel Eases Restrictions on Gaza – 22 January 2008
Ha’aretz – Palestinian Water Authority: 40% of Gazans Lack Running Water – 22 January 2008
