The Palestinian Health Ministry is now appealing to the Norwegian Agency to intervene with Israeli authorities so they could release the badly needed oxygen machines.

Meanwhile, though some of the food and supply restrictions have been lifted off of Gaza, Israeli authorities maintain their control over who goes in and out of the Strip, including foreign dignitaries.

On June 19, German Development Minister Dirk Niebel was refused entry into the Gaza Strip by Israel. A day later, Niebel criticized Israel saying sometimes its government “does not make it easy for its friends to explain why it behaves in the way it does.”

Niebel went on to say that the refusal to allow him entry in his capacity as minister was “a big foreign policy mistake of the Israeli government.” He added that he had intended to visit the Strip in order to inspect sewage works financed by German aid funds.

Israel is coming increasingly under fire by European parties including the Council of Europe parliamentarians, who on June 24 called on Israel to completely lift its siege off of the Gaza Strip. In a resolution adopted by the majority of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the lawmakers said Israel should allow goods into Gaza by land and sea Palestinians could enjoy “normal living conditions.” In their statement, the parliamentarians also criticized Israel for its flotilla raid, calling it a breach of international law and “manifestly disproportionate.” Furthermore, the resolution included a call on Israel to halt settlement construction in occupied east Jerusalem.

Given Israel’s accelerated settlement construction in the eastern sector of the city, even the United Nations felt obligated to release a statement of “concern.” On June 23, a statement released by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said, "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the decision by the Jerusalem municipality to advance planning for house demolitions and further settlement activity in the area of Silwan. The planned moves are contrary to international law, and to the wishes of Palestinian residents."

The Secretary General’s remarks came days after the west Jerusalem municipality approved plans to demolish 22 Palestinian homes in Silwan, located in the Bustan neighborhood where 88 homes in total are slated for demolition. In their place, Israeli authorities are planning to build a public park where they claim is the ancient site of King Solomon’s gardens. The municipality is planning to build a tourist center complete with restaurants and boutique hotels in the area where the Palestinians would be evicted.

Also in Silwan on June 23, Israeli settler groups tried to forcefully evict four families from their homes, located near a building taken over by right wing settlers called Beit Yonatan in the heart of Silwan. Although an Israeli court order was issued two years ago to evacuate the settlers from the building, the 10 settler families are still there. The settlers now want to kick the families who live there – a total of 40 people in all – by July 4. Right wing Knesset member Uri Ariel even said the settlers would hire private security firms to force the families out if the state failed to do so.

"This is expressly the kind of step that we think undermines trust that is fundamental to making progress in the proximity talks," said State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley.

Meanwhile, on June 20, the Israeli High Court gave the green light to deport Hamas parliamentarian Mohammed Abu Teir from Jerusalem. The court gave Abu Teir, who lives in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Al Tour, until the beginning of July to leave the city. The deportation orders were handed down to three other Hamas-affiliated parliamentarians who were recently released from Israeli prison.

"We cannot stand idly by while people are expelled from their homeland, which we consider a crime,” said President Mahmoud Abbas while meeting with the four parliamentarians on June 25. Abbas said the Palestinian Authority has contacted several countries including Israel and the US in an effort to thwart Israel's plan to strip the lawmakers of their residency rights.

In the Gaza Strip, two men were found dead in Rafah tunnels on June 25 after Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes against several targets overnight. According to Palestinian medical sources, the men were crushed by falling rock and sand after the strikes. One of the men was identified as Amer Abu Hadid, 23 while the other remains unidentified.

Also, this week marks the fourth anniversary of the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted by Palestinian military groups in a cross border operation in June 2006. Shalit’s family have appealed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to free their son “at an price.”