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Hamas Tightens Ban On Travel From Gaza

Hamas' ban on travel from Gaza to the West Bank for two human rights workers shows Israel isn't the only one restricting Palestinians' movement.
A Hamas policeman pushes back a Palestinian protester during a demonstration near the Erez border crossing between Israel and northern Gaza Strip June 5, 2011, marking the 44th anniversary of the start of a 1967 Middle East War, in which Israel captured East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Golan Heights. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST ANNIVERSARY) - RTR2NB6A

The lack of the freedom of movement is possibly the most manifest feature of the Israeli-imposed blockade in the Gaza Strip. The restrictions on the Palestinians freedom of movement are multi-faceted. For instance, as Israel continues to impose its hermetic blockade on Gaza, Palestinian fishermen are one such category of the civilian people in Gaza whose movement is extremely limited by the Israeli gunboats delineating the limited sea zone available to them. Moreover, Palestinian farmers and residents in the border area near the separation fence with Israel known as the Green Line is another such group.

More clearly manifest, though, is the blanket ban on travel by Palestinians to the West Bank via the Erez crossing. Only in rare cases and with such great difficulty are certain groups of Palestinians, namely medical patients, allowed to go beyond the Erez crossing into Israel or the West Bank.

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