Some Gaza Strip students to go without textbooks

August 31, 2007 The Israeli military refused to let five trucks of paper, intended for printing textbooks, into Gaza City and are retaining control over the trucks. The Israeli government is deciding if the paper can be considered humanitarian aid, and if so, let the paper in to Gaza.

Israel recently imposed a ban on the transportation of large amounts of paper to Gaza. Essential supplies are being let into the Gaza Strip, such as food, medicine, and petrol, yet paper is being forbidden which will cause most school children to go to school without text books.

UNWRA's Gaza director, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, John Ging was quoted as saying, "Some 200,000 children will go into our classrooms on [September 1st], and won't have the books they need." Israel has said that in order to maintain transport of essential goods, food, medicine, and fuel, secondary goods must be left for later. An Israeli official said, "The priority right now is getting food in."