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ICRC official urges lifting of restrictions on Gaza

Xinhua, December 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) mission in the Gaza Strip on Thursday called for the lifting of restrictions imposed on the coastal enclave.

"Keeping restrictions on Gaza can never bring stability," Mamadou Sow, who will be leaving after a two-year service in Gaza, told a briefing.

He was referring to more than 10 years of Israeli blockade imposed on the enclave ruled by Islamic Hamas movement since 2007.

Sow, a Senegalese national, will be succeeded by Guislain Defurne from France.

"These restrictions had clearly obstructed development and the reconstruction of the infrastructure such as health, water and electricity besides helping the weak economy to promote," he said.

Sow expressed the hope that "these restrictions will be one day lifted and life in the Gaza Strip are eased."

"The key for improving the hard daily living situation for Gaza is to lift all these restrictions," he said.

Sow stressed that Gaza needs not only humanitarian aid "but an opportunity for building up life and hope for a future of dignity, which can be made only through lifting all restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip."

"It is a shame that at the end of 2016, 2 million Palestinians are left living on this small spot of the earth in such a humanitarian situation," said Sow.

He also urged the Palestinian leaders to make "positive" and "proper" decisions. Endit