JERUSALEM, December 1, 2006 (WAFA) - OCHA said one year after the signing of the Israel and Palestinian Authority (PA) the ability of Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip to access either the West Bank or the outside world remains extremely limited and the flow of commercial trade is negligible.

(AMA) Agreement on Movement and Access was signed on 15 November 2005 between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian National Authority.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a press release that movement within the West Bank is also more restricted. There has been no peaceful economic development as envisaged by the AMA but rather a deterioration in the humanitarian situation and an increase in violence overall.

"The economic impact of increased closure of Gaza's crossing points has significantly contributed to the worsening of the economic situation over the last 12 months," it adds. "In the Gaza Strip, unemployment levels have risen from 33.1% to 41.8% between 2005 and 2006 and already high poverty levels have risen by over two percent."

Gazan business owners' perception of the future is bleaker than at the beginning of the year: in January 2006 81.3% were optimistic about future productivity compared to just 22.6% in September.

A.D (20:26 P) (18:26 GMT)