Report of a Home Office Fact-Finding Mission Occupied Palestinian Territories: freedom of movement, security and human rights situation Conducted 23 September 2019 to 27 September 2019 Published March 2020 This project is partly funded by the EU Asylum, Migration Contentsand Integration Fund. Making management of migration flows more efficient across the European Union. Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................. 6 Background ............................................................................................................ 6 Purpose of the mission ........................................................................................... 6 Structure of this report ............................................................................................ 6 Methodology ............................................................................................................. 7 Research standards ................................................................................................ 7 Identification of sources .......................................................................................... 7 Arranging and conducting interviews ...................................................................... 7 Notes of interviews/meetings .................................................................................. 7 List of abbreviations ................................................................................................ 8 Executive summary .................................................................................................. 9 Synthesis of notes ................................................................................................. 10 1. West Bank ..................................................................................................... 10 Freedom of movement in Areas A, B and C ........................................... 10 Exit from and entry to the West Bank ..................................................... 10 Movement within the West Bank and OPTs generally ............................ 11 Checkpoints ............................................................................................ 13 Medical permits ...................................................................................... 15 Seam Zone ............................................................................................. 16 Settlements ............................................................................................ 17 Human rights situation: Treatment by Israeli security forces .................. 18 Arbitrary arrests and detention by the PA ............................................... 22 Prison and detention conditions ............................................................. 23 Humanitarian situation: Refugee camps ................................................. 24 Humanitarian situation: Access to food and water .................................. 25 Education ............................................................................................... 26 Employment in the West Bank ............................................................... 26 Healthcare in the West Bank .................................................................. 28 Humanitarian aid to the West Bank ........................................................ 30 Demolitions ............................................................................................. 31 Death penalty ......................................................................................... 32 Page 2 of 150 2. Population data and documentation .............................................................. 32 Points to note ......................................................................................... 32 Population registry .................................................................................. 32 Amending the population registry ........................................................... 35 Passports ............................................................................................... 36 ID cards .................................................................................................. 38 UNRWA registration cards ..................................................................... 39 Residency status .................................................................................... 40 3. East Jerusalem .............................................................................................. 40 Freedom of movement ........................................................................... 40 Security situation .................................................................................... 41 Documentation: Population registry ........................................................ 41 Residency status .................................................................................... 41 ID and passports .................................................................................... 44 Family unification .................................................................................... 45 4. Gaza .............................................................................................................. 47 Overview ................................................................................................ 47 Freedom of movement ........................................................................... 48 Exit and entry permits for people in Gaza............................................... 50 Medical permits for people in Gaza ........................................................ 52 Rafah crossing ....................................................................................... 52 Salah al-Din gate .................................................................................... 53 Erez crossing .......................................................................................... 54 Kerem Shalom crossing ......................................................................... 54 Movement within Gaza ........................................................................... 55 Armed groups ......................................................................................... 55 Armed conflict prior to 2018 .................................................................... 55 Great March of Return ............................................................................ 56 Human rights: Arrest, detention and use of excessive force .................. 58 Human rights: Ill-treatment and torture ................................................... 61 Hamas’ recruitment methods .................................................................. 62 Prisons and detention centres: Prison system and numbers of prisoners 62 Prisons and detention centres: Visits ..................................................... 63 Prisons and detention centres: Conditions ............................................. 64 Death penalty in Gaza ............................................................................ 65 Humanitarian situation: Access to food, and water ................................. 65 Page 3 of 150 Education in Gaza .................................................................................. 67 Employment in Gaza .............................................................................. 68 Living conditions in Gaza........................................................................ 69 Healthcare in Gaza ................................................................................. 70 Humanitarian aid to Gaza ....................................................................... 74 Documentation: Population registry in Gaza .......................................... 76 ID and passports for people in Gaza ...................................................... 76 UNWRA IDs for people in Gaza ............................................................. 77 Residency status in Gaza ....................................................................... 77 Family unification for people in Gaza ..................................................... 77 5. Freedom of expression .................................................................................. 78 Censorship ............................................................................................. 78 Social media ........................................................................................... 79 Violations against journalists .................................................................. 79 6. Palestinians in Israeli prisons and detention centres ..................................... 80 Numbers of prisoners and visits ............................................................. 80 Conditions .............................................................................................. 81 7. Palestinians from 1948 .................................................................................. 85 8. Documentation of Palestinians outside of the OPTs and Israel ..................... 85 Community Action Centre (CAC); 23 September 2019 .................................. 90 Representative of UNRWA, 23 September 2019 ........................................... 93 WHO, 23 September 2019 ............................................................................ 96 AL HAQ, 24 September 2019 .....................................................................