To mark the fifth anniversary of the tightening of the blockade of the Gaza strip, Diakonia, as part of a broader network of 50 international charities and United Nations Agencies say with one voice: "End the blockade now!”

5 Years Lost in Gaza

For over five years, more than 1.6 million people in Gaza have been under blockade in violation of international law. More than half of these people are children.

Affects civilians and increses dependency on aid

The blockade has had a disproportionate effect on civilians in Gaza. Severe restrictions on imports and exports have crippled Gaza’s economy and people only too willing and able cannot find work. Aid dependency has grown as the private sector has all but shut down.

The quality and availability of essential services has also declined under the blockade, and severe obstacles on movement and access prevent many people from travelling abroad to seek health care or education and employment opportunities.

Wasted time

Gaza’s blockade is also about wasted time, loss and longing, and aspirations unfulfilled, which are universal themes that speak to the human emotions in us all. In order for people in Gaza to live with dignity and self sufficiency, the blockade must end.

Khaleel Zaanin is irrigating eggplants, peppers, and potatoes on what is left of his land, about 7.5 acres, just one km from the "buffer zone" between Israel and Gaza. Copyright: Oxfam.