Gaza anti-siege group claims Israel is holding "hundreds of cargo containers" belonging to Palestinians

The President of the Popular Committee Against the Siege has claimed that the Israeli authorities are holding “hundreds of cargo containers in its ports”, despite their claims that the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has been “eased”.

In a press statement, Jamal Al-Khudary MP said that containers which were impounded four years ago belong to Palestinian traders and businessmen. “These containers and the goods and raw materials inside them were imported by traders legally and formally, but the Israelis still stop them from entering Gaza and force the owners to pay fines, causing heavy losses.”

Mr. Al-Khudary pointed out, “The continued detention of raw materials means that hundreds of factories continue to be idle with their workforce suspended, leading to a big rise in the unemployment rate.”

The four basic conditions to end the siege of Gaza, said Mr Al-Khudary, are: opening all Gaza crossings, allowing the flow of trade of various commodities, including raw and building materials, opening the port and sea access and allowing safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank for the movement of individuals.

He added, “Israeli statements about easing the siege of Gaza are still just propaganda and do not address the various core issues of the siege.”

In closing, Mr. Al-Khudary called upon the European Union foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, to translate her remarks on opening Gaza’s crossings into action following her recent one-day visit to Gaza.