Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chief of the Popular Committee to Challenge the Israeli blockade, Jamal al-Khodari, accused Israel on Saturday of keeping a tight blockade imposed on some 1.5 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

    Al-Khodari said in a statement sent to reporters that "Israel is misleading the world's public opinion by saying that the closure imposed on the Palestinian territories was lifted at the end of the Jewish holidays."

    On the eve of every Jewish holiday, Israel usually closes its borders with the West Bank and Gaza Strip in a bid to prevent the Palestinian movement of people and goods during holiday.

    "Israel still closes all Gaza border crossings for more than a year and a half. The siege was not lifted. Although Israel partially reopens the crossings, this doesn't cover more than 15 percent of the population's needs," he said.

    Following Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in mid June last year, and ouster of security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel imposed a tight blockade on the enclave and only allowed humanitarian aids inflow for the population.

    On June 19, Egypt mediated a truce in the Gaza Strip for six month between Israel and Gaza militant groups, led by Hamas movement. After the truce came into effect, Israel eased some of the restrictions imposed on Gaza.

    "Gaza still lives under the siege, where the lives of 1.5 million people is threatened, while the West Bank is divided into small pieces due to roadblocks and the separation wall that Israel builds in the West Bank," said al-Khodari.