A/HRC/40/39 48. Between 9 July and 14 August 2018, and between 17 and 21 October 2018, Israeli authorities banned altogether the exit of the few types and quantities of goods allowed out from Gaza, resulting in the lowest monthly export levels since 2015. 59 Entry of all goods except for food, medical supplies and animal fodder was halted. Between 9 July and 14 August 2018, fuel and cooking gas entered irregularly, and were banned again from 12 to 21 October 2018, including United Nations-funded fuel for critical water, sanitation and health facilities. 49. The unemployment rate in Gaza increased to 53.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2018, exceeding 70 per cent among young people and reaching 78 per cent among women.60 Per capita gross domestic product decreased to an estimated $410 in the second quarter of 2018, down from $450 in the second quarter of 2017. 61 The situation was compounded by a steady decline in transfer of funds by authorities of the State of Palestine, a decrease in international aid support, and funding cuts to programmes of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. West Bank 50. In the West Bank, Israeli restrictions on the freedom of movement of Palestinians continued, severely affecting a range of rights. A survey conducted by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in July 2018 recorded 705 permanent road obstacles to Palestinian vehicular and, in some cases, pedestrian movement, including checkpoints and roadblocks. OCHA further documented 93 instances of closures of village entrances between January 2017 and July 2018, which affected 30 communities. 62 While such restrictions can be justified for legitimate security needs, any limitation to the right to freedom of movement has to be necessary and proportional to the end sought and should not amount to collective punishment. 51. Restrictions particularly affected the exercise of the right to health. During the reporting period, 15 per cent of permit applications for Palestinian patients seeking health care in East Jerusalem hospitals or in Israel were rejected. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that 84 per cent of its ambulances had been forced to transfer patients to an ambulance with Israeli licence plates at a checkpoint, rather than allowed direct access to transport patients from other parts of the West Bank to East Jerusalem hospitals, causing delays and risking health complications. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported 30 instances where ambulances were prevented access and 60 assaults by Israeli security forces or Israeli settlers on its ambulances during the reporting period. 63 B. Palestinian authorities Violations of the right to life and security of person 52. Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza violently dispersed peaceful demonstrators calling for the lifting of measures imposed by authorities of the State of Palestine on Gaza. 53. The authorities in Gaza did not carry out any executions during the reporting period, in comparison to six executions during the previous period. On 29 October 2018, a Gaza appeals court commuted a death sentence to life imprisonment in the case of a woman convicted of murder. Nonetheless, Gaza civilian and military courts handed down eight death sentences (to seven men and one woman). Serious concerns with regard to due process and fair trial guarantees were present in these cases, including the sentencing of 59 60 61 62 63 See www.ochaopt.org/content/gaza-crossings-operations-status-monthly-update-september-2018 and www.ochaopt.org/sites/default/files/gaza_crossings_operations_status_october_2018.pdf. World Bank, “Economic monitoring report to the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee” (2018), p. 9. See www.ochaopt.org/content/gaza-strip-early-warning-indicators-september-2018. See www.ochaopt.org/content/over-700-road-obstacles-control-palestinian-movement-within-westbank. See also A/HRC/40/42, para. 43. 11