Legal Brief: Flotillas and the Gaza Blockade [View All]

[Jefferson23]

by Jadaliyya Reports



Legal Brief: Flotillas and the Gaza Blockade (July 2011)


The Gaza Strip is currently under a continued naval and land blockade.<1> New flotillas are trying to reach Gaza to provide assistance to the people of the Strip. In light of the deadly outcome of the previous flotilla of 31 May 2010, Diakonia IHL Programme would like to reiterate the relevance and importance of international humanitarian law (IHL).

The Gaza Strip is an occupied territory

The Gaza Strip remains an occupied territory as it is effectively controlled by the Israeli army (land, sea, airspace), which administers the supply of basic services (customs, currency, population registry, electricity, water, fuel etc.). The opening of Rafah border crossing has allowed movement of people only, and remains at large restricted.<2> Furthermore, even if the military presence of Israeli troops inside Gaza decreased, Israel has the ability to regain its military control over the Strip at will.<3>

The naval and land blockade is illegal

1. The land and naval blockade does not serve a concrete and direct military advantage

in full: http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/2187/legal-brief_flotillas-and-the-gaza-blockade