Palestinian human rights defender Khalil Shaheen launches “Defending Hope in Gaza” a new photographic exhibition by Front Line documenting the courage of human rights defenders under siege. The exhibition shows how the people of Gaza are bravely struggling to survive, while the work of human rights defenders is restricted by limitations on freedom of movement. Defending Hope in Gaza will run in Filmbase from 11-24 January. Admission is free - Open 9.30am - 5.30pm Monday-Friday, 11:30am- 5:30pm on Saturdays and 11:30am-3pm on Sundays.

Text of Press Release

Khalil Shaheen (pictured in attached pdf) works with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in the Gaza Strip,defending the basic human rights of the Palestinian people who continue to live in desperate conditions as a result of the ongoing blockade. Khalil travelled to Ireland via the Raffah crossing in Egypt where he was held in detention for four days before he was allowed to travel onto Ireland.

He is a leading defender of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza. During Operation Cast Lead he witnessed many deaths including a man being split in two literally a hundred yards in front of him. At the time he was running to get his children from the school which had been bombed. He found them running through the street.

“At the moment in Gaza there are 20,000 homeless people and another 50, 000 people living in badly damaged homes. One of the most pressing issues of the moment is to allow access for building materials, so that they can rebuild their homes and their lives” said Mr Shaheen.

Front Line is working to help human rights defenders in Gaza overcome the obstacles imposed by the Israeli authorities. The exhibition, hosted by Front Line, runs in Filmbase - Curved Street, Temple Bar - from 11-24 January, 2010. Admission free.

Operation Cast Lead – Background Note

One year ago, on 27 December 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead, a violent incursion into the Gaza Strip, which they stated was a response to rocket attacks against Israel. This resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 Palestinian people, most of them civilians. The people of Gaza remain traumatised by the events of the 23-day offensive and many are living with serious long-term injuries. The incursion also caused widespread damage and destruction to homes, schools,mosques and businesses.

“This exhibition highlights the widespread human rights violations which resulted from Operation Cast Lead, as well as the continuing human rights violations which are a direct consequence of Israel's ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip” said Mary Lawlor Executive Director of Front Line in Dublin today.

In particular, Front Line aims to raise awareness of the negative impact of restrictions on freedom of movement for human rights defenders working in the Gaza Strip. These brave people work tirelessly and at great personal risk for the human rights of others, defending the hope of a future based on peace and justice.

Human Rights Defenders in the Gaza Strip Human rights defenders are people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A wide variety of human rights defenders work in the Gaza Strip, including medical personnel, lawyers, fieldworkers and journalists.

Defending human rights in the Gaza Strip is a complex and dangerous task." It is clear that defenders face a variety of risks and challenges in their work against the human rights violations resulting from the Israeli occupation, as well as those committed by the various agencies of the fractured Palestinian Authority and armed groups, including Hamas and Fatah", said Ms Lawlor.

Front Line is concerned about the continued severe restriction of movement placed on Palestinian human rights defenders. Human rights defenders seeking to protect and promote the human rights of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been subjected to escalating levels of obstruction in the course of their work, as a direct result of the closure policy imposed by Israel.

Living Under Siege

One year after Israel began Operation Cast Lead, the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is deepening. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has described the situation as a "human dignity crisis", which has resulted from the massive destruction of livelihoods and a significant deterioration of infrastructure and basic services.

80% of the Palestinian people are unable to support themselves and are dependent on humanitarian assistance. In addition, large numbers of the population are traumatised following the 23-day incursion with little access to psychological services. At best, only 120 truckloads of goods are permitted access to Gaza instead of the normal daily requirement of 500 trucks, including commercial traffic.

Essential items continue to be effectively banned, or are only allowed through infrequently. These include construction materials, such as steel, concrete, timber, piping, sandbags and water pipes, as well as electrical wires, and transformers. Chemicals, paper and certain foodstuffs are also banned. The reconstruction of Gaza is made impossible by these bans.

What the International Community Must Do?

Front Line  is  calling  on the Israeli government to put an end to travel restrictions on human rights defenders and for the Israeli Government to respect the rights of human rights defenders, in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, as well as to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

For further Information please contact: Jim Loughran, Head of Communications, Front Line Telephone + 353 1 212 3750 MOBILE + 353 (0)87 9377586 WWW.FRONTLINEDEFENDERS.ORG