Human Rights Groups: Gaza Crisis "Completely Avoidable"

Eight Human Rights groups released a report Thursday. They introduced their findings saying,

The situation for 1.5 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is worse now than it has ever been since the start of the Israeli military occupation in 1967. The current situation in Gaza is man-made, completely avoidable and, with the necessary political will, can also be reversed.

The Report points out Israel's responsibility by international law to Gaza.

Israel retains effective control of the Gaza Strip, by virtue of the full control it exercises over the Gaza Strip's land border, its air space and territorial waters, and the movement of people and goods. Hence, the Israeli authorities are bound by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to ensure the welfare of the Palestinian population in the OPT. The blockade, in response to indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel, constitutes a reprisal against a civilian population and is forbidden by international humanitarian law.

Gaza focus of Human Rights Report

Read the latest report by John Dugard, the special rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied Since 1967.