BACKGROUND
Longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from the Gaza Strip have undermined the living conditions of about two million Palestinians. Many of the restrictions, originally imposed by Israel in the early 1990s and also 2000s, when Israel shut down the Gaza airport and safe passage between Gaza and West Bank, were intensified after June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of Gaza, the imposition of a blockade and the closure of the Rafah crossing with Egypt. These restrictions limit access to livelihoods, essential basic services and housing, disrupt family life, and undermine people’s hopes for a secure and prosperous future. In recent months, OCHA has witnessed some easing of restrictions such as the opening Kerem Shalom crossing on Fridays for the entry of Qatari-funded fuel for the Gaza Power Plant (GPP) and an increase in the number of permits issued to Palestinians classified as business people.