THE GUARDIAN: Time to End Israel's Gaza Blockade

This blockade has also resulted in unacceptable limits on personal freedom. It is deplorable for us to allow this continuing collective punishment against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel kills children in Gaza and other parts of Palestine almost constantly, but during "Operation Cast Lead" Israel killed almost 400, targeting more than 50 schools, often with illegal weapons.

(LONDON) - Today marks five years since the Israeli military launched missile and ground attacks on Gaza, which Israel named Operation Cast Lead. According to the UN, 1,383 Palestinians died as a result, including 333 children.

And what of the survivors? For the 1.7 million living in the tiny Gaza Strip, life has become increasingly desperate because of Israel's continuing blockade, backed by Egypt and with no effective challenge from governments around the world. The blockade has brought electricity cuts of 16 hours a day, which means the only street lights visible at night have been those from Israel's nearby towns. The electricity shortages have severely affected almost all essential services, including health, water, sanitation and schooling. With waste plants not operating, Palestinian children have been wading through freezing sewage to attend school. The terrible floods in Gaza brought the promise of increased electricity supplies for a few weeks, but the international community must demand that supply is constant and permanent.

This blockade has also resulted in unacceptable limits on personal freedom. Most Palestinians are prevented from travelling outside Gaza, an area of 139 sq miles: about the same size, but much more densely populated, as Newcastle. It is deplorable for us to allow this continuing collective punishment against Palestinians in Gaza. We urge the UK government to take immediate action to bring an end to the blockade on Gaza.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/27/time-end-israel-gaza-blockade