This combined Humanitarian Update for November and December 2005 focuses on the situation in the Gaza Strip following the Israeli withdrawal from settlements, completed on 12 September (Box 1). Developments observed in the Gaza Strip after Israeli disengagement have been largely negative. This Special Focus analyses the factors contributing to the persistent humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, particularly linked with access.
Box 1: Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip and implications On 12 September 2005, the IDF completed its withdrawal of personnel and equipment from the Gaza Strip. This marked the end of the unilateral Israeli disengagement that commenced on 15 August with the removal of Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip. It also marked the end of Israeli presence inside the Gaza Strip for the first time since the Six-Day War in 1967 (see maps p.2-3). On 15 November 2005, 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 Territories 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 agreement also spoke of the movement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank through Erez crossing and an increased flow of goods, especially exports. |
The particularly concerning trend is the upsurge in violence within the Gaza Strip. Between 12 September and 31 December, 47 people have died in 97 internal clashes – a figure that exceeds the 33 fatalities resulting from Palestinian / Israeli confrontations.
Full report:
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/HU11_1205.pdf https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/HU11_1205a.pdf
Document Type: Arabic text, Map, Report
Document Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Subject: Access and movement, Assistance, Closures/Curfews/Blockades, Gaza Strip, Incidents, Security issues, Settlements
Publication Date: 31/12/2005