Candidates show support for immediate end to Israel’s Gaza blockade

The lifting of the blockade was one of the terms of the ceasefire signed by Israel and Hamas in August 2014, following a 51 day assault on Gaza. However, more than seven months later, restrictions on the movement of people and goods in and out of the territory remain as tight as ever.

Around 18,000 Palestinian homes were destroyed during the 2014 assault, leaving more than 100,000 people homeless. Israel has prevented the materials necessary for reconstruction to enter Gaza.

UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, tweeted this shocking fact: “More than 7 months after the ceasefire announcement in #Gaza, not a single totally destroyed home has been rebuilt.”

Palestinians who need medical treatment abroad, or who have places to study at overseas universities, are among those who are unable to leave Gaza. Palestinians seeking to return to be reunited with their families also face severe difficulties in crossing closed borders.

Sarah Colborne, Director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: “Israel’s blockade of Gaza is recognised as a collective punishment of its 1.8million people by the UN, and is illegal under international law.

“In 2010, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has described Gaza as a prison camp and said the situation must change. Unfortunately the last British government failed to challenge Israel’s blockade, and the situation has only changed for the worse. Palestine Solidarity Campaign says that change must be immediate and calls on the next government to put pressure on Israel – including sanctions – to end the blockade.