2008 breach of the Egypt–Gaza border
Date | 23 January 2008 |
---|---|
Location | Rafah Border Crossing |
Type | Explosion |
Organized by | Hamas |
Outcome | 200,000–700,000 Palestinians crossed over to Egypt |
Blockade of the Gaza Strip |
---|
Crossings |
2004 |
Philadelphi Accord |
2006 |
Economic sanctions |
2007 |
Fatah–Hamas battle |
2008 |
2009 |
Viva Palestina "Lifeline 3" |
2010 |
2011 |
2015 |
Freedom Flotilla III |
2016 |
Women's Boat to Gaza |
2023 |
Israeli "total blockade" |
On 23 January 2008,
Egypt had closed the Rafah border crossing in June 2007, days before the Hamas took control of Gaza at the end of the
Although Israel demanded Egypt reseal the border due to security concerns,
The sudden enormous demand there for staple products led to large local price rises and some shortages.On 24 January, the United Nations Human Rights Council condemned Israel for the fifteenth time in less than two years, calling the blockade collective punishment.[6] However, the proceedings were boycotted by Israel and the United States. On 27 January, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised that Israel would no longer disrupt the supply of food, medicine and necessary energy into the Gaza Strip.[7] Meanwhile, President Mubarak announced plans to meet separately with representatives of Hamas and Fatah in order to come to a new border control agreement.[7]
On 3 February, Gaza's Foreign minister, Mahmoud al-Zahar, announced that Hamas and Egypt would cooperate in controlling the border without Israeli control, "perhaps jointly with Abbas".[8] Abbas' Government said that Egypt had agreed to restore the 2005 border agreement giving Abbas control over the Rafah crossing, but excluding Hamas. Israel, on the other hand resisted Abbas' control of any crossing point.[9] The border was closed—except to travelers returning home—eleven days after the breach.[10]
Background
Egypt had pledged to help control their border with Gaza along the
After
In December 2006, Hamas began fighting to expel
In response to the violent clashes, President Abbas declared a state of emergency and dissolved the national unity government on 14 June. Hamas gained complete control of the Gaza Strip on 15 June,[15] after forcing out Fatah. The Israeli government closed all check-points along its border with Gaza in response to the violence.[12] Egypt closed its border when fighting between Fatah and Hamas started on 7 June.[3] The European Union monitors ended their oversight at the frontier on 14 June due to security concerns. Egyptian officials said that a decision to reopen Gaza's border would be made in consultation with the European Union and Israel.[3] Hamas seized control of Gaza on 15 June.
Humanitarian crisis
Beginning in June 2007, Israel limited its exports to Gaza to nine basic materials. Out of 9,000 commodities (including foodstuffs) that were entering Gaza before the 2006 elections, only 20 commodities were to be allowed in.[4] In July 2007, Israeli officials planned to open the border crossing at Rafah to allow stranded Palestinians to return to Gaza but were deterred by Hamas's threats to open fire on the refugees.[16]
In October 2007, Israel began limiting fuel supplies to the territory.
In December 2007, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed the need for humanitarian relief in the Palestinian territories.[19] In a statement, the ICRC described the living conditions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as "alarming" and called for Israel to ease restrictions on the movement of goods into Gaza and the West Bank.[19]
According to a United Nations study, by January 2008, the economic effects of the blockade had reached a critical threshold.[20] Finally, on 17 January 2008, following a rise in the number of rocket attacks, Israel sealed the border completely.[1]
On 20 January, the only power plant in Gaza shut down.[1] The United Nations officials implored Israel to reverse its decision to seal all border crossings with the Gaza Strip, warning that the violence in the region and the lack of crucial supplies for 1.4 million Palestinians was provoking a humanitarian crisis.[21] Israel accused Hamas of "fabricating" the power shortage, pointing out that the power plant in Gaza produces only a minority of the territory's power.[22] Israel stated that the blackout occurred for media purposes and stated that Hamas had timed it themselves.[23] Israel said it was still providing nearly 70 percent of the territory's power directly.[22]
Following widespread international concern about an impending humanitarian crisis, and a warning from the United Nations that
Breaching of wall
On 22 January, gunfire erupted after a group of Hamas demonstrators, mostly women, forced open the door of the
Overnight on 23 January, gunmen set off a number of explosions along the wall near the crossing.
While Egypt allowed Palestinians to enter Egypt, it did not let them travel very far; Palestinians were not allowed to travel further than Arish.[30] Egypt said that it would not use force to send back Palestinians.[31] Foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said the border would be closed again when all the Palestinians had returned.[31]
On 25 January, Egyptian security forces blocked almost all illegal entry points along the border with Gaza to try to stem the flow of Palestinians wanting to leave.[1] Egyptian forces in riot gear erected barbed wire and chain-link fences along the border to prevent more Palestinians from crossing.[34] Palestinians attempted to break through, and several were injured in the resulting clashes.
After the repair, Palestinians used a bulldozer to knock over the new fence, creating an opening once more.[34] As the border crossings entered their fifth day, Egyptian border police began stopping Gazans from entering in vehicles and blocked off the road beyond Rafah to Arish.[7] In Rafah there was little left to buy, and it appeared Egypt had decided to restrict the resupply of goods to El Arish and Rafah in order to peacefully end the crossings and reestablish control over the border.[7]
On 28 January, Egyptian security forces and Hamas militants strung barbed wire across one of the breaches, sealing it off.[35] The Egyptians began repairing one of the two remaining breaches on 29 January.[36]
UN reaction
On 24 January, the United Nations Human Rights Council condemned Israel for the fifteenth time in less than two years.[6] The Council released a statement calling on Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza and to open the Strip's borders to allow the entry of food, fuel and medicine. It asked the international community to ensure that Israel stop its actions in Gaza, which it referred to as "collective punishment of the Palestinian civilians that leads to disastrous humanitarian and environmental consequences."
An official resolution was presented by
Israeli government response
Israel demanded Egypt reseal the border and launched air strikes against the Gazan half of Rafah overnight on 24 January, killing Mohammed Abu Harb, the commander of Hamas's military there.[1]
At a court hearing on 27 January, the Israeli government promised to resume supplies of fuel, but not at normal levels, for another week.
Border-control talks
An Israeli defense delegation secretly visited Cairo on 28 January and discussed the situation with top Egyptian officials the
Hamas stated they would accept a return of the EU monitoring mission if it were to reside in Egypt or the Gaza Strip, as opposed to being based in Israel.[43]
Border closure
The border was closed by Egypt with Hamas's cooperation, except for travelers returning home, on 3 February.[10][44]
Economic effects
In Arish alone, Gazans spent some US$250 million over five days.[5] Palestinians and Egyptians complained about soaring prices and shortages, especially of food.[45] Enormous demand for staple products from Gaza caused rampant inflation, as did the Egyptian government's decision to restrict goods coming into the border region in an effort to encourage the Palestinians to go back home.[45] Palestinians also accused Egyptians of price gouging, where prices have risen to the point where the cost of goods is sufficiently high that supply matches demand.[45]
The breach created tens of thousands of temporary new jobs in Gaza where the returning caravans set up shop; unemployment had been at 40 percent.[5] Egyptian merchants also crossed into the Gaza Strip to sell their wares.[35] The food brought in from Egypt during the first six days would last Gazans three months, fuel about two days and cement for two weeks if the borders are resealed, according to various estimates from economists, business leaders and gas station owners.[5]
However, were the border to remain open long term, Gaza's workers and manufacturers who had worked in the more upscale Israeli market before layoffs during the Second Intifada would have trouble competing in Egypt's low-wage economy, according to West Bank economist Nasser Abdel Karim.[5]
International response
- United States
- Palestinian state.[47]
- European Union
- The EU said it would consider sending its monitors back to Gaza's border with Egypt, and unveiled a new plan for getting aid to Palestinians.[48]
See also
- Blockade of the Gaza Strip
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Political status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
- Governance of the Gaza Strip
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