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 After more than two months, Israeli forces continue to prevent aid workers from accessing the Gaza Strip, exacerbating the suffering of the 1.2 million Palestinians trapped there.
On May 11, citing security concerns, the Israeli government closed the check point at Erez, which leads in and out of the Gaza Strip from Israel. While Palestinians charge that the closure is yet another act of isolation and oppression against civilians, Israeli officials claim that they are simply trying to protect their citizens from terrorist attacks.
The Fourth Geneva Convention, which Israel signed, requires that aid agencies have unencumbered access to civilians in need during conflict. However, workers from several international organizations report sporadic and inconsistent compliance.
Within Gaza, Israeli troops have seized control of neighborhoods, ejected residents, bulldozed olive and citrus orchards, cut off electricity to civilian homes, destroyed irrigation wells and diverted sewage into drinking water sources.
While World Vision provides sponsorship for nearly 2,200 Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip, security restrictions have all but halted ongoing programs, which include supplying a dental clinic in Bethlehem, paving agricultural roads and constructing sanitation facilities. The average annual income in the Gaza Strip has fallen by nearly 50 percent since 1995, from $1,200 to $625.
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