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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A Jordanian aid convoy entered the besieged Gaza Strip this morning through the Israeli controlled Erez (Beit Hanoun) crossing.

A foreign delegation also entered the Strip to access the economic situation. It included officials from the World Bank and the French consul to Jerusalem, Pierre Cochard, and his deputy.

A Jordanian convoy carrying various medicines in nine and headed to the Jordanian hospital.

The Gaza Strip has suffered under a more than 12-year siege at the hands of Israel, with support from Egypt and the international community. Goods, food, aid, construction materials, and other essentials have not been allowed into the Strip and people have been left unable to leave even to access medical care.

The General Federation of Palestinian Labour Unions reported last year that as a result of the siege, unemployment in the enclave almost doubled to 50 per cent, rising from 27.2 per cent before 2007.

Due to the ban on the entry of fuel, Gaza’s sole electricity plant has been forced to shut down leaving civilians with only 4 hours of electricity a day; further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

A report released by the UN last month raised concerns that the Strip is “de-developing” faster than anticipated, such that the 2020 deadline by which it was said that Gaza would be “unliveable” may have already arrived.

*MEM