Human Rights Watch calls for lifting blockade on Gaza

SANAA, Oct. 16 (YPA) – Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that the Israeli occupation must fully lift its illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip and allow unrestricted reconstruction following the widespread destruction caused by the aggression on the Strip.

In a statement, the organization affirmed that the Israeli blockade, which has been ongoing for more than 17 years, constitutes collective punishment of the Strip’s more than two million residents and violates international humanitarian law.

It stressed the need to support accountability for serious crimes committed in Gaza during the war, including attacks targeting civilians and vital infrastructure, calling on the international community to take concrete steps to ensure justice and end impunity.

The statement explained that ending the blockade and allowing reconstruction be essential conditions for achieving humanitarian and political stability in the Strip, noting that continued Israeli restrictions exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and hinder any recovery efforts.

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