A/HRC/20/32 Gaza and thus the entire economic growth or stagnation of Gaza; and the coastal waters, air space and underground of the territory of Gaza. Of course Israeli military forces also continue to use force against Gaza, frequently in violation of the Geneva Conventions relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts. Most of the land borders of the Gaza Strip remain surrounded by an Israeli-controlled wall. The level of the political, economic, social and military control by Israel over a Gaza ensures that Gazans, like their counterparts in the West Bank, have no means of exercising their internationally recognized right of self-determination. 34. Gaza remains fundamentally blockaded, although for the first time since the blockade started in July 2007, there have been some extremely limited and exceptional adjustments to restrictions on the scope of permissible imports and the allowance of a minute amount of exports after months of negotiations. Specifically, 13 truckloads of date bars for school lunches given to Palestinian children living in the West Bank have been allowed to leave Gaza, along with two truckloads per week of overseas exports. But even this small adjustment of restrictions appears to be temporary and limited to the occasion, and has had no discernible effects on the overall Gaza economy, which remains stalled since the Israeli blockade was established. 35. Current figures from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs disclose that 40 per cent of Gazans live below the poverty line, 28 per cent of the labour force is unemployed, and 75 per cent of the population is dependent on regular foreign assistance as dispensed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). 24 Furthermore, the majority of the Gaza population continues to be confronted by regular power cuts of 8 to 16 hours per day due to fuel shortages, and from time to time the shutdown of the Gaza power plant creates a 60 per cent electricity deficit, producing loss of power for up to 18 hours per day. In addition to the extreme difficulties of this electricity shortage for the general population, these power cuts have caused acute danger to hospital patients, particularly cardiac and dialysis patients and babies dependent on incubators. There are special difficulties confronting the fishing sector of the Gaza economy, where a 90 per cent poverty level exists, explaining the large number of young children working to maintain subsistence levels for families in this poorest group. Fishermen face frequent attacks from Israeli patrol boats, with 93 such attacks reported in 2011.25 VI. Housing in Gaza 36. The restriction on the import of construction materials has prevented or delayed the repair of damage done to Palestinian housing caused by Operation Cast Lead in 2008/09. It has also made Palestinians more dependent on tunnel smuggling and black markets. It is estimated that 10 times more construction materials (especially concrete and steel bars) are imported via the tunnels than are allowed to enter legally at the Kerem Shalom crossing. It has been reported that the blockade prevents international relief efforts from providing safe and adequate housing for the civilian population in Gaza subject to continuous occupation since 1967. The Special Rapporteur on adequate housing visited Gaza on 7 and 8 February 2011, and had this to report on the overall situation: I am gravely concerned at information received that only a minority of the projects aimed at improving housing and vital services in Gaza, which have been submitted for approval by the international community, have been approved by the authorities. I have raised these concerns with the Israeli authorities who have informed me of 24 25 Information received during the mission in February 2012. UNRWA Gaza Field Office, Gaza Weekly Update (2–8 January 2012). 15