Rights group: Israel bans Gazans from traveling with laptops

Shin Bet says unaware of any restrictions, will look into matter

By Agencies 6 August 2017, 10:11 pm Edit
Illustrative image of Hamas security forces standing guard at the Erez border crossing into Israel, in Beit Hanun, in the northern Gaza Strip on March 26, 2017. (AFP/Mahmud Hams)
Illustrative image of Hamas security forces standing guard at the Erez border crossing into Israel, in Beit Hanun, in the northern Gaza Strip on March 26, 2017. (AFP/Mahmud Hams)

A rights group said Israel has imposed new travel restrictions on Palestinians, preventing them from leaving Gaza with laptops.

The ban also applies in the opposite direction — an Associated Press reporter was barred Sunday from taking his laptop into Gaza.

The Israeli group Gisha, which advocates for greater freedom of movement for Gazans, said it was informed last week by COGAT, the Defense Ministry body that administers the crossings from Gaza, that Gazans can no longer carry electronic devices, except mobile phones, when leaving the territory.

COGAT referred questions to the Shin Bet security service, which said it was unaware of a laptop ban and would look into the matter.

Israel and Egypt have enforced severe Gaza travel restrictions since the 2007 takeover of the territory by the terror group Hamas. They say the restrictions are in place to prevent the smuggling into the Strip of weapons and materials that have military uses.

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