October 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip

Not to be confused with Siege of Gaza City.

2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip
Part of the Israel–Hamas war and the blockade of the Gaza Strip
Date9 October 2023 — Ongoing
(3 months, 2 weeks and 3 days)
Location
Gaza Strip
Blockade of the
Gaza Strip
Crossings
2004
Philadelphi Accord
2006
Economic sanctions
2007
Fatah–Hamas battle
2008
2009
Viva Palestina "Lifeline 3"
2010
2011
2015
Freedom Flotilla III
2016
Women's Boat to Gaza
2023
Israeli "total blockade"

On 9 October 2023, Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip in response to the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war and attacks in Israel by Hamas militants.[1] Israel announced a "total blockade",[2] blocking the entry of food, water, medicine, fuel and electricity.[3] Israel has said that the Gaza blockade would not be lifted until the hostages, who were abducted by Hamas, are safely returned to their homes.[4] Hamas had announced that it would release all Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of all Palestinian prisoners by Israel.[5] On 18 October 2023, United States President Joe Biden announced that Israel and Egypt had agreed to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza,[6] with the first supplies entering on 21 October 2023.[7] The blockade resulted in a humanitarian crisis.[8]

Background

Gaza has been under a partial blockade by both Israel and Egypt since 2005. Several border crossings have existed from Gaza along the border of Israel and Egypt.[9] The announcement, on 9 October 2023, of a total blockade is the first time that such a blockade has been imposed.

On 7 October 2023, militants from Hamas, a Palestinian political and military organization and other Palestinian groups, launched its biggest assault in years across the Gaza–Israel barrier into southern Israel, as well as firing rockets into Israel.[10] Israel subsequently declared war on the militants,[11] calling up 300,000 reservists to execute Israel's military operation.[12]

Blockade

The total blockade of Gaza was announced on 9 October 2023 by the Defence Minister of Israel, Yoav Gallant. "We are putting a complete siege on Gaza … No electricity, no food, no water, no gas – it’s all closed" he announced.[2][13] "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly," he added.[14][15][16] The spokesman for the Minister of Energy of Israel, Israel Katz, said that Katz had ordered the water supply to Gaza to be cut, effective immediately.[17] Israeli tanks and drones have been tasked with guarding openings in the Gaza–Israel border fence and enforcing the blockade.[2]

As a result of the blockade, the only power plant in the Gaza Strip ran out of fuel on 11 October, at 2:00 pm.[18][19] This resulted in electricity in Gaza to go off.[19] Due to this, desalination plants providing water shut off, completely stopping running water.[20]

On 12 October 2023, Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Israel Katz, stated that the lifting of the Gaza blockade would not occur until the hostages, who were abducted by Hamas, are safely returned to their homeland.[4]

The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital was forced to shut down, despite being Gaza's only cancer hospital, after running out of fuel.[21]

Crossings

Rafah crossing

Main article: Rafah Border Crossing

Most aid vehicles come through this crossing from Egypt. This was the first crossing to reopen after the start of the war, on 21 October.[7] Between then and 31 October, 241 trucks of aid has passed through.[22] On 27 October, Cindy McCain, director of the World Food Program, criticized the checks at the Egyptian side of the crossing as "overly stringent" and limiting the flow of aid, which had previously been closer to 500 trucks a day.[23]

Kerem Shalom crossing

Main article: Kerem Shalom border crossing

This was one of the crossings breached at the start of the war, and remained closed thereafter. On 30 October, the UN asked Israel to reopen it to allow additional aid trucks through.[24] On 3 November it was opened briefly, and Palestinian workers from Gaza who had been staying in Israel on work permits were sent back to Gaza.[25]

Other crossings

As of 1 November, other crossings into Israel have remained closed.

Consequences of blockade

Main articles: Gaza humanitarian crisis (2023–present) and Gaza Strip famine

The blockade resulted in a 90% drop in electricity availability, impacting hospital power supplies, sewage plants, and shutting down desalination plants that provide drinking water.[26] According to WHO, 27 out of 35 hospitals in Gaza were shut down by 23 November 2023.[27]

On 15 November, the UNRWA announced that due to the lack of fuel, 70% of Gaza would no longer have access to clean water.[28] On 17 November, Oxfam stated Gaza's water supply was at 17% of its pre-siege capacity.[29] According to Oxfam and the United Nations, Gaza's lack of clean water and sanitation would trigger a rise in cholera and other deadly infectious diseases.[30] On 7 December, the World Health Organization reported increases in acute respiratory infections, scabies, jaundice, and diarrhea.[31]

On 7 December 2023, the World Food Programme stated 97% of households had inadequate food consumption and 83% in southern Gaza were surviving through "extreme consumption strategies."[32] On 15 December, the United Nations estimated nine out of ten residents were not eating food every day.[33] On 22 December, UNICEF warned of the increasingly growing threat of famine in the Gaza Strip.[34]

Reactions

Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that Israel's siege of the Gaza Strip violates international law because it endangers the lives of civilians by depriving them of goods essential for their survival.[35]

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese expressed concern that "the measures taken, including the bombing of the Rafah crossing, hints to an intention to really starve and kill the people who are innocent inside the Gaza Strip," saying there was fear among Palestinians in Gaza of a "second Nakba."[36]

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply distressed" by Israel's decision to impose a total blockade on Gaza.[37]

Jan Egeland, the Secretary General for the Norwegian Refugee Council, stated that "collective punishment is in violation of international law. If and when it would lead to wounded children dying in hospitals because of a lack of energy, electricity and supplies, it could amount to war crime."[37]

On 10 October 2023, European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said that "cutting water, cutting electricity, cutting food to a mass of civilian people, is against international law."[38]

On 11 October 2023, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Israel's blockade and bombing of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas' attack was a disproportionate response amounting to a "massacre."[39]

Egyptian authorities tried to prevent a mass exodus of Palestinian refugees from Gaza towards the Sinai Peninsula, rejecting a United States proposal for safe corridors to Egypt for Palestinians fleeing Gaza. The Rafah Border Crossing on the Egypt–Gaza border was closed by Egypt after the start of the conflict.[40] Egypt urged Israel to allow safe passage for Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip instead of forcing them to flee towards Sinai.[41]

El-Remal aera in Gaza City on 9 October 2023

Fabrizio Carboni, the International Committee of the Red Cross's (ICRC) director for the Middle East, said that "Without electricity, hospitals [in Gaza] risk turning into morgues."[42]

According to Human Rights Watch, "Israel's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure has made it clear the recent Hamas attacks are 'why we decided to stop the flow of water, electricity and fuel'. These tactics are war crimes, as is using starvation as a weapon of war."[42] A spokesperson for Gisha, an Israeli human rights group, said there was no "justification for this kind of targeting of civilians".[43]

British politician and Leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, announced his support for Israel's "right" to totally cut power and water supplies to Gaza in an interview with LBC,[44] prompting the Labour Muslim Network to describe his comments as endorsing "collective punishment" and demand an apology from him.[45] The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan urged Israel to exercise restraint, arguing that a blockade of the Gaza Strip could lead to suffering of Palestinian civilians.[46]

On 13 October, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli siege and the displacement of the population of the Gaza Strip.[47]

Agnès Callamard, secretary of Amnesty International said that Israeli authorities should immediately stop the increased restrictions, including cutting off electricity, water, and food. She stated that the blackout would have a severe effect on access to clean water, communications and internet access, and public health.[48]

The line in black represents the IDF's boundary at Wadi Gaza for evacuation of the northern Gaza Strip

On 18 October, the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution, sponsored by Brazil and supported by 12 of the 15 Council members, calling for "humanitarian pauses" to deliver aid to Gazan civilians.[49] The US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield explained that the US was working on a diplomatic resolution to the humanitarian crisis, and the resolution failed to recognize Israel's right to self-defense.[50]

On 21 October, the Israeli army dropped leaflets in Gaza with the message: "Urgent warning! To the residents of Gaza: your presence to the North of Wadi Gaza is putting your lives at risk. Anyone who chooses not to evacuate from the North of the Gaza Strip to the South of the Gaza Strip may be identified as a partner in a terrorist organization."[51][52]

On 22 October, Cindy McCain warned that "these people are going to starve to death unless [the World Food Programme] can get in."[53]

On 18 December, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of "using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in the occupied Gaza Strip".[54]

On 7 January 2024, the UNRWA deputy director reported severe hunger and an almost collapsed healthcare system.[55]

On 9 January, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron admitted he is "worried" that Israel has "taken action that might be in breach of international law", saying he wanted Israel to restore water supplies to Gaza.[56]

Timeline

See also: Timeline of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Gaza–Israel barrier, and Blockade of the Gaza Strip
Date [a] Event References
2007 Blockade of the Gaza Strip
2023-10-07 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel
2023-10-09 Total blockade announced by Yoav Gallant
Blockade goes from total to severe, a small number of aid trucks allowed in.
some fuel delivered to hospitals
3L of water per person per day, bare minimum for drinking, none for washing.
  1. ^ Year-Month-Day international format.

See also

References

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