Amnesty International has demanded Israel end the renewed closure imposed on the Gaza Strip and allow supplies and goods into the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave. "Israel's latest tightening of its blockade has made an already dire humanitarian situation markedly worse," said Philip Luther, deputy director of Amnesty's Middle East program. "This is nothing short of collective punishment on Gaza's civilian population and it must stop immediately," charged Luther. Amnesty added that the current situation was "nothing short of a disaster." [Read the full article]