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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The most exaggerated "humanitarian crisis" in history

The definition of a "siege" and "blockade" are:
Siege, blockade are terms for prevention of free movement to or from a place during wartime. Siege implies surrounding a city and cutting off its communications, and usually includes direct assaults on its defenses. Blockade is applied more often to naval operations that block all commerce, especially to cut off food and other supplies from defenders.
Here is a list of what Israel allowed to be shipped to Gaza during the first half of June:
The Unit for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories reports daily on the general humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The data for the supplies transferred via the Karni and Sufa crossings are based on the reports of Palestinian merchants.

Two-way traffic at the Erez Crossing of international organizations' staff, Gaza residents seeking medical treatment together with the people accompanying them ("medical evacuations"), and Palestinian civilians has been permitted for humanitarian and medical aid since 18 January 2007 and occurs almost daily.

Via the conveyor at the Karni Crossing, hundreds of tons of grain - wheat, barley, soy beans, corn and animal feed - are transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip every week.

Via the Nahal Oz fuel depot, diesel fuel for transportation and the local Gaza power station, petrol, and gas for cooking and heating are transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip, according to an assessment of civilian needs mandated by the Israeli court.

Via the Sufa Crossing, the following supplies are transferred by truck from Israel to the Gaza Strip: food, including: baby formula and food, rice and legumes, fruits and vegetables, meat, chicken and fish, dairy products, flour and yeast, oil, salt and sugar; hygiene products; raw materials for essential infrastructures; medicines and medical equipment; and a myriad of other items - ranging from school books to wheel chairs - needed by the civilian population.

The Kerem Shalom Crossing has been closed since 19 April 2008, due to terrorist attacks directed at it.

June 15, 2008
17 trucks delivered 456 tons of food to the Gaza Strip via Sufa crossing. At the Nahal Oz fuel depot, 212,000 liters of diesel fuel for the power station were transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip.

In addition, 53 people (patients and their companions) crossed into Israel at the Erez crossing for medical treatment.

June 13, 2008
51 trucks carrying mostly food products were transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip via the Sufa crossing. Via the Nahal Oz crossing, 510,000 liters of diesel fuel for the power station, 130,000 liters of diesel fuel for transportation, and 173 tons of gas were delivered.

In addition, 55 people (patients and their companions) crossed into Israel via Erez crossing for medical treatment.

June 11, 2008
38 trucks carrying fruit and vegetables and other food products as well as materials for humanitarian infrastructure were transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip via the Sufa crossing.

In addition, 54 people (patients and their companions) crossed into Israel via Erez crossing for medical treatment.

June 10, 2008
59 trucks carrying food, materials needed for infrastructures, and medications were transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip via the Sufa crossing. 24 trucks carrying 888 tons of grain were transferred via the Karni crossing. Via the Nahal Oz crossing, 280,000 liters of diesel fuel for the power station, 100,000 liters of diesel fuel for transportation, and 88 tons of gas were delivered.

In addition, 66 people (patients and their companions) crossed into Israel via Erez crossing for medical treatment.

June 8, 2008
521,800 liters of fuel and 84 tons of heating gas were transported via the Nahal Oz terminal.

In addition, 10 people (patients and companions) crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip via the Erez crossing for medical treatment.

June 4, 2008
50 trucks carrying food and hygiene products were transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip via Sufa crossing. 64 trucks carrying 2,409 tons of wheat, corn, soy beans and animal feed were transferred via the Karni crossing. Cooking gas was transferred via the Nahal Oz fuel depot.

In addition, 17 people (patients and companions) crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip via the Erez crossing for medical treatment.

June 4, 2008
Medical evacuation: A Palestinian worker was critically wounded by a mortar bomb fired by Palestinian terrorists towards the Nahal Oz fuel depot. He was rushed to hospital in Gaza City. Due to the critical wounds the worker suffered and the deterioration of his condition, an urgent request was forwarded to the Israeli Coordination & Liaison Administration at the Erez crossing, to refer the wounded man for further treatment in Israel.

Colonel Nir Press, Head of Israel's Coordination and Liaison Administration at Erez Crossing, approved the evacuation to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon as per the request. Co. Press stated that evening: "The attack earlier today caused the casualty of one Palestinian, and ultimately forced the early cessation of pumping of fuel and gas. The Hamas campaign against the Gaza Strip crossings primarily inflicts suffering on the people of the Gaza Strip."

June 3, 2008
60 trucks carrying food, and raw materials for essential infrastructures were transferred to the Gaza Strip via Sufa crossing. At the Nahal Oz fuel depot, 261 tons of gas and 1.124 million liters of fuel for transportation and electricity were transferred.

In addition, 32 people (patients and companions) crossed into Israel for medical treatment.

June 2, 2008
64 trucks carrying rice, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, dairy and other food products, and raw materials for essential infrastructures were transferred to the Gaza Strip via Sufa crossing. 71 trucks carrying 2,577 tons of wheat, soy beans, corn and animal feed were transferred via the Karni grain depot. At the Nahal Oz fuel depot, 260,410 liters of fuel for transportation and 732,400 liters of fuel for the power station, and 210 tons of heating and cooking gas were transferred to the Gaza Strip.

In addition, 13 people (patients and companions) crossed into Israel via the Erez crossing for medical treatment.

June 1, 2008
30 trucks carrying vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, dairy and other food products, medications and medical equipment, and raw materials for essential infrastructures were transferred to the Gaza Strip via Sufa crossing. 64 trucks carrying 2,500 tons of wheat, soy beans, corn and animal feed were transferred via the Karni grain depot. At the Nahal Oz fuel depot, 1.038 million liters of fuels and 262 tons of gas were transferred to the Gaza Strip.

In addition, 29 people (patients and companions) crossed into Israel via the Erez crossing for medical treatment.

Total (June 16, 2007 - June 15, 2008):
24,375 trucks; 579,491 tons

I still have not found a single case of someone starving to death in Gaza.

This has to be the most exaggerated "humanitarian crisis" in history.