A/HRC/31/40 lead to forcible transfer (art. 49). Punitive demolitions also violate a range of human rights, including the right to adequate housing and prohibitions on forced evictions (art. 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights). 34. On 14 October 2015, following the escalation in violence, the Israeli Security Cabinet announced that, in addition to demolitions, the authorities would forbid any construction on the sites of demolished houses. Moreover, the Prime Minister authorized the police to “impose a closure on, or to surround, centres of friction and incitement in Jerusalem” as a means of preventing further attacks. 24 In the following days, virtually all Palestinian neighbourhoods were closed off with roadblocks, checkpoints and earthmounds, affecting the daily life of over 300,000 Palestinians residents. 25 In Al-Isawiah, home to nearly 15,000 people, only one road was kept open, with a manned checkpoint, obstructing residents’ access to work or school. 35. While Israel, as the occupying Power, can adopt security measures, these should be proportionate to the threat. Disproportionate and discriminatory restrictions are inconsistent with the obligations of Israel to ensure Palestinians enjoy the right to freedom of movement and ensure public life. 36. In Gaza, the unlawful Israeli blockade, which amounts to collective punishment, continued to affect the enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights. Despite some positive developments in 2015, including an acceleration of the entry of certain needed materials through the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism, these remained insufficient to address the overwhelming needs. According to the Global Protection Cluster, as of November 2015, an estimated 95,000 persons remained internally displaced26 since the 2014 hostilities; over 70 per cent of the population was aid dependent; and 73 per cent were food insecure.27 The closure of Rafah crossing by Egypt since October 2014, which crossing had previously helped to alleviate the effects of the blockade, has exacerbated the humanitarian situation. Only the lifting of the blockade would enable improvement in the realization of human rights in Gaza (see A/HRC/28/45, paras. 34-42, and A/70/421, paras. 15-29). 3. Detention, including administrative detention 37. With hundreds of Israeli security forces search-and-arrest operations every month in the reporting period, Israel detains a large number of Palestinians. As of 31 October 2015, 5,683 Palestinians were “security prisoners”.28 Although there was a decrease in early 2015 after the spike in arrests in mid-2014, according to one NGO, the Palestinian Prisoners Club, 1,500 were arrested in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem in October 2015. 38. In particular, there was a sharp increase in the number of children in detention: from 163 on 30 October 2014 to 307 as of 30 October 2015.29 This is the highest number of detained children since April 2010, and appears largely due to the significant number of 24 25 26 27 28 29 8 Israel, Prime Minister’s office, “Security Cabinet Approves Series of Additional Measures to Deal with the Wave of Terrorism”, 14 October 2015. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “New movement restrictions in East Jerusalem as of 5 November 2015”. Available at www.ochaopt.org/documents/ej_2015oct21.pdf. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “Israel removes restrictions on the import of aggregates”, November 2015. Available at http://gaza.ochaopt.org/2015/11/reconstruction-of-overone-quarter-of-totally-destroyed-homes-ongoing-or-about-to-start/. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Strategic Response Plan 2015. Available from www.ochaopt.org/srp2015/. See www.btselem.org/statistics/detainees_and_prisoners (accessed on 31 October 2015). See www.btselem.org/statistics/minors_in_custody (accessed on 30 October 2015).