Closures of Crossings Come at a Cost

Gaza: UN Agencies Say Closures of Crossings Come at a Humanitarian Cost

New York, Jul 19 2007 7:00PM

The United Nations today said that the closures of crossing points into Gaza are coming at a terrible cost to people living there. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that the layoff of 65,000 workers by companies in Gaza, following the lack of supplies there, could affect as many as 450,000 dependents. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which has identified $30 million worth of emergency projects for Gaza, said that it will provide employment projects worth some 640,000 days of work for unemployed refugees there.

UNRWA further endorsed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call for Karni crossing to be open to Palestinian commercial imports and exports.

ENDS

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