OPT: Gaza - West Bank – ICRC Bulletin No. 17 / 2007

[Englander]

General situation

The Palestinian population continued to bear the consequences of the fighting between Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, which has intensified and spread to the West Bank in the last few days. Since 3 January, 20 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip alone – including at least two civilians – and more than 50 wounded.

Street violence and the growing number of abductions also contributed to the feeling of insecurity among the population. A Peruvian journalist abducted in Gaza City on 1 January 2007 was released after six days of captivity. The deteriorating security situation made humanitarian work increasingly difficult.

As a result of a military operation carried out by the Israeli army on 4 January, four people were killed and 34 injured in the centre of Ramallah.

Closures and other restrictions on movement continued to affect the daily lives of Palestinians. Getting to school or to work, seeing a doctor or simply doing the shopping has become increasingly difficult.

In the West Bank, the number of checkpoints and roadblocks remained unchanged despite news of a possible easing of restrictions on movement for the residents. There was no significant reduction in closures in the northern West Bank, especially in Nablus and Tulkarem districts, which are the areas most severely affected by the measure.

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