Movement in and out of Gaza: update covering July 2022

Highlights

• In July 2022, more Palestinians exited from Gaza to the West Bank or Israel compared with any single month since 2005.
• Less Palestinians exited from Gaza to Egypt compared to the previous month.
• Less goods entered and exited Gaza compared to the previous month.
• The intensification of restrictions in early August will be covered by next month’s report.

Movement of people to Israel and the West Bank

• In July, the Israeli authorities allowed nearly 40,500 exits of people from Gaza (in most cases, travellers exited multiple times). This is the highest figure recorded since 2005, and is 15 per cent higher than June, and more than five times higher than the monthly average in 2021. However, it represents only about eight per cent of the monthly average of exits before the imposition of the category-based access restrictions.
• About 87 per cent of the exits were by Palestinians allowed out under the ‘traders’ or ‘economic needs’ permit category, most of whom are employed as daily labourers in Israel. The crossing of authorized traders into Israel was halted by the Israeli authorities in March 2020 in the context of COVID-19, and gradually resumed in the last quarter of 2021.
• Some 6 per cent of the exits were by patients referred for medical treatment in the West Bank or Israel, and their companions. A total of 1,619 exit-permit applications were submitted for medical appointments scheduled for July, of which 36 per cent were not approved on time.