Creation date: 10/06/2017 Feedback: ochaimu@un.org www.ochaopt.org http://data.ochaopt.org/gazacrossing.aspx

Information on the status of border crossings and numbers of truckloads is based on data provided by the Gaza Ministry of National Economy, UNRWA, UNSCO and Paltrade (Palestine Trade Center).

MOVEMENT AND ACCESS OF PEOPLE*

RAFAH CROSSING

GAZA CROSSINGS’ OPERATIONS STATUS: MONTHLY UPDATE - MAY 2017

EXIT OF GOODS

BACKGROUND

¹¹º»

¹

¹¹º»

EGYPT

Mediter

ranean

Sea

Rafah

Jabalya

Gaza City

Ash Shuja’iyeh

Khuza’a

Khan Yunis

Beit Hanoun

Beit Lahiya

Deir al B alah

ISRAEL

GAZA

Erez

Rafah

Kerem Shalom

Armistice Declaration LineInternational Boundary

Crossing Point

Closed Crossing Point

5 Km

21

14

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

300

389

Sufa

KarniNahal Oz

* The figures reflect number of times people crossed, but not the actual number of people crossing.

MOVEMENT OF GOODS FROM AND INTO GAZA

EREZ CROSSING• Exceptionally opened for four days for the entry of people into Gaza, while exit to Egypt was not

allowed during May.• 3,068 people entered Gaza, a 28% decrease compared to the monthly average in the first quarter

of 2017 and a 78% decline compared to 2014, prior to the closure of the crossing on 24 October 2014.

• So far in 2017 the crossing has been opened on an average of 3 days per month, nearly the same as in 2016 and 2015.

• At least 20,000 Palestinians are pre-registered and waiting to cross into Egypt, according to the local authorities in Gaza.

• Prior to the closure of the crossing in 2014, a monthly average of 4,000 people crossed Rafah for health-related reasons (WHO).

• Kerem Shalom crossing is currently the only regular commercial route between Gaza and the external world.

• Exit of goods took place on 17 days.• The volume of truckloads that exited was 42% above the 2016 monthly average, but 24% and

74% below the monthly averages in the first quarter of 2017, and in the first half of 2007, before the imposition of the blockade, respectively.

• Goods exited to the following destinations:- 203 truckloads of agricultural products, five of non-edible consumables, three of clothing and

three of furniture, to the West Bank;- 31 truckloads of agricultural products and scrap aluminum to Israel; and- Eight truckloads of agricultural products to international markets.

Truckloads exiting Gaza

RAFAH: Crossings in both directionsEREZ: Crossings into Israel

• Opened on 25 days (Closed on two days for Israeli holidays and on four Saturdays).• The reduced volume of crossings continued during May, marking a 25% and 53% decline

compared to the monthly averages in the first quarter of 2017 and 2016, respectively.• 71% of the applications for exit permits by UN national staff in May received no response by the

scheduled date of travel, compared to an average of 42% in the first quarter of 2017, and 3% of the applications were rejected.

• The crossing is accessible only to Israeli-issued permit holders, primarily medical and other humanitarian cases, merchants, internationals and aid workers.

• Erez Crossing is open from Sunday to Thursday for all permit holders, and on Fridays for exceptional humanitarian cases and internationals.

25,813

15,712

369 1,7595,640

13,899

21,178

34,992

25,187

8,141

2,393 3,5215,719

2,900

2006 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan Feb

Monthly Average 2017 Monthly Total

Longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza have under-mined the living conditions of 1.9 million Palestinians in that area. Many of the current restrictions, originally imposed by Israel in the early 1990s, were intensified after June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of Gaza and the imposition of a blockade. These restrictions continue to reduce access to livelihoods, essential services and housing, disrupt family life, and undermine people’s hopes for a secure and prosperous future. The situation has been compounded by the restrictions imposed since June 2013 by the Egyptian authorities at Rafah Crossing, which had become the main crossing point used by Palestinian passengers in the Gaza Strip, given the above restrictions on the Israeli-controlled crossings.

1st ½ 2nd ½2007

Mar

4,191

43,440

31,424

13,45412,611

1,857 2,175 2,482 3,337 4,376 4,919 5,756 7,121

15,02713,187

9,687 8,239

2006 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan20052004 Feb

Monthly Average 2017 Monthly Total

Mar

ch 2

006

- Isr

ael s

tops

allo

win

g P

ales

tinia

n w

orke

rs in

to Is

rael

June

200

7 - G

aza

bloc

kade

1st ½ 2nd ½2007

7,052

Mar Apr

5,311

May

6,238

777

417

961

17 3 2 18 23 21 15 19

113178

281341 372

270253

2006 1st ½ 2nd ½2007

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan Feb2005

2017 Monthly Total Monthly Average

Mar Apr May

Apr0

May

3,068Cr

ossi

ng o

pene

d in

one

dire

ctio

n

Creation date: 10/06/2017 Feedback: ochaimu@un.org www.ochaopt.org http://data.ochaopt.org/gazacrossing.aspx

Information on the status of border crossings and numbers of truckloads is based on data provided by the Gaza Ministry of National Economy, UNRWA, UNSCO and Paltrade (Palestine Trade Center).

FUEL IMPORTS INTO GAZA

FUEL IMPORTS

Kerem Shalom remained the only crossing available for the import of fuel, allowing the entry of:

• 19.7 million litres of petrol and diesel; and

• 5,173 tons of cooking gas, which represents around 69% of the estimated needs of around 7,500 tons, according to the Gas Station Owners’ Association.

• No industrial fuel for the Gaza Power Plant (GPP) entered Gaza, due to the lack of funds. The GPP, which shut down on 17 April 2017, remained closed during the month, resulting in electricity blackouts of 20-22 hours a day.

GAZA CROSSINGS’ OPERATIONS STATUS: MONTHLY UPDATE - MAY 2017

ENTRY OF GOODS

* Closed on four Fridays, four Saturdays and four days for Israeli holidays.

UNDP

GRM** projects

2,164

* Primarily includes cement and steel bars; aggregates were removed from the “dual use” list in 2015. ** The GRM is a temporary agreement between the Government of Palestine and the Government of Israel, brokered by the United Nations in September 2014, to allow the entry of items defined by Israel as having a “dual” civilian/military use. These include building materials for repairs and reconstruction of private housing and infrastructure damaged or destroyed during hostilities, as well as new projects not related to hostilities.

26

UNRWA

62

Entry of restricted basic construction materials in Mayper sector (in truckloads)*

Goods imported in May 2017(in truckloads)

• Kerem Shalom Crossing operated on 19 days*.• Rafah crossing exceptionally opened on four days, allowing 381 truckloads of goods

to enter Gaza, the largest volume through this crossing since June 2015; nearly 70% of truckloads this month were basic construction materials.

• The volume of goods that entered this month was above the monthly averages recorded during the first quarter of 2017 and in 2016 (9% and 11% respectively), and the same as the monthly average in the first half of 2007 (before the blockade).

• 5% of the imported truckloads were designated for humanitarian aid agencies.• 6,902 truckloads carried construction materials, constituting the largest category of

imports (58%).• 36% of truckloads with construction materials carried items defined by Israel as ‘dual

use’ items, approved via the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM).• Karni, Sufa and Nahal Oz crossings with Israel remained closed.

** Figures exclude truckloads carrying fuel

Truckloads entering Gaza**

5 16

9,290

6,285

11,176

2,557 2,2362,593

3,3054,107

4,815

5,652

4,307

7,890

10,038

11,514

7,817

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan2005 2006 Feb

11,278

Mar Apr

9,654

May

10,908

Monthly Average 2017 Monthly Total

1st ½ 2nd ½2007

2,294 2,0733,090 3,275 3,427

3,9413,089

5,700

9,100

12,255

8,457

193643 350

9621,504 1,712

1,2182,198

1,024231 287

11,994

295 415

10,050

528

11,151(in truckloads)

Humanitarian vs. commercial imports

Monthly Average 2017 Monthly Total

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan Feb

CommercialHumanitarian

Mar Apr May

4,383

2,287

2,519

494

452

385

118

91

71

71

21

16

Restricted Construction Materials

Human Food Products

Other Construction Materials

Industrial/Electrical Appliances

Animal Feed

Non-Edible Consumables

Hygiene/Cleaning Supplies

Agricultural Raw Materials

Packaging Applications

Education/Stationery

Medical Supplies

Livestock

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan Feb2017 Monthly AverageMonthly Average

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Fuel for power plant(in million litres)

Gas(in million kilograms)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan Feb

Monthly Average 2017 Monthly Average

Petrol (in million litres)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan Feb

2017 Monthly AverageMonthly Average

Diesel(in million litres)

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Jan Feb2017 Monthly AverageMonthly Average

Mar

Mar

Mar

Mar Apr

AprApr

Apr

267

Private sector through Rafah crossing

May

May May

May