A/HRC/18/49 moratorium on the use of such weapons in the light of the human suffering and damage they had caused in the Gaza Strip. 30. E. To date, the General Assembly has not taken action to promote such a discussion.8 Action by the State of Israel 31. In paragraph 1972 of its report, the Mission addressed a total of nine recommendations to the State of Israel. 32. In paragraph 1972 (a) of its report, the Mission recommended that Israel should immediately cease the border closures and restrictions on passage through border crossings with the Gaza Strip and allow the passage of goods necessary and sufficient to meet the needs of the population, for the recovery and reconstruction of housing and essential services, and for the resumption of meaningful economic activity in the Gaza Strip. 33. The border closures and restrictions on passage through border crossings with the Gaza Strip continue to seriously negatively affect livelihoods and infrastructure.9 In light of restrictions on the importation of building materials, the vast majority of the 40,000 housing units needed to replace homes destroyed during Operation Cast Lead and meet natural population growth have not been constructed. This housing shortage has especially affected families living in dilapidated and overcrowded housing conditions, and has disproportionately impacted women and children.10 Unemployment in the second half of 2010 in Gaza reached 45.2 per cent, one of the highest rates in the world.11 High unemployment levels and the demand for construction materials resulted in thousands of people risking their lives to work in tunnels along the border with Egypt, or in accessrestricted areas near the barrier surrounding Gaza.12 In December 2010, Israel allowed the export of a limited amount of cut flowers and strawberries.13 Israel announced in June 2011 that it would allow the entry of material to construct new houses and schools to the value of $100 million, bringing the total of approved projects involving “dual use” material to $265 million.14 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 8 In paragraph 13 of its resolution 13/9, the Human Rights Council called upon the General Assembly to promote an urgent discussion on the future legality of the use of certain munitions as referred to in the report of the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, drawing on, inter alia, the expertise of ICRC. The Council reiterated this call in paragraph 7 of its resolution 16/32. See United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs office in the occupied Palestinian territory (OCHA-OPT), Easing of the Blockade: assessing the humanitarian impact on the population of Gaza (March 2011). Available from www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_special_easing_the_blockade_2011_03_english.pdf, accessed on 21 July 2011. Ibid, p. 1. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Labour Market Briefing: Gaza Strip, Second Half 2010 (June 2011). Easing of the Blockade, p. 1. See Security Council Brief of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (December 2010). Available from www.unsco.org/Documents/Statements/MSCB/2008/SCB%2014%20December%202010.pdf, accessed on 20 July 2011. See also Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN), “OPT: Farmers can export again, but livelihoods precarious” Humanitarian News and Analysis, 23 January 2011. Security Council Brief by the Special Coordinator, June 2011. Available from hwww.unsco.org/scb.asp, accessed on 26 July 2011. See also United Nations News Service, “UN welcomes Israel’s decision to approve construction projects in Gaza”, 22 June 2011.