2013

State withdraws demand to make Israeli citizens living in the Gaza Strip without Israeli identification documents undergo genetic tissue testing
June 10, 2013. Following a petition by Gisha: the Beersheva District Court ordered the state to pay 7,000 NIS in costs since "the filing of the petition was what led to the resolution of the matter". (Read More)

Editing Gaza Out of Kerry's Palestine Plan
May 5, 2013. Tania Hary, Gisha's director of international relations writes in "Open Zion' about how some media outlets decided to omit Gaza from John Kerry's speech. (Read More)

Gaza 2013: Snapshot
June 2, 2013. What is the cause of the electricity shortage in Gaza? Why are medicines lacking? What’s the fishing zone limit? How close can one approach to the border fence? Access issues in Gaza today in seven parts. (Read More)

Following five days of closure, Rafah Crossing was opened today
May 22, 2013. The crossing was opened following the release, earlier today, of seven members of the Egyptian security forces who had been held captive in the Sinai since Thursday. About 2,600 Palestinians who were waiting on the Egyptian side of the crossing will now be able to return home. (Read More)

COGAT and Population Authority ordered to pay 20,000 NIS in costs to Gisha
May 21, 2013. The petition for information on the subject of permits granted to Palestinian laborers to enter and work in Israel was filed two-and-a-half years ago. (Read More)

Israel expands fishing zone from three to six nautical miles
May 21, 2013. A statement by the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit relays that the fishing zone was restricted “due to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip toward Southern Israel on March 21, 2013”. (Read More)

Gaza unemployment drops slightly to 31%
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics figures for the first quarter of 2013 also show that unemployment among women in Gaza stands at 51.6%, compared to 26.3% among men. (Read More)

Freedom of Information Unit demands Major General Eitan Dangot improve his office's handling of FOIA requests
May 20, 2013. The annual report published by the Israeli Ministry of Justice’s Freedom of Information Unit states: "at the time of writing, the unit is not yet satisfied that sufficient steps have been taken to correct the existing situation". (Read More)

Security forces in Egypt closed Rafah Crossing last Friday
May 19, 2013. Egyptian security forces are conditioning the re-opening of the crossing on release of seven security personnel taken hostage last Thursday. Hundreds of Palestinians are trapped on the Egyptian side of the crossing, unable to return home. (Read More)

New position paper by Gisha: Creeping Punishment
5 May, 2013. A new position paper by Gisha looks at access restrictions imposed in recent months following rocket fire from Gaza toward Israel, the effects of what might be a new policy on residents of the Strip, and what Israeli farmers and security officials think about it. (Read More)