Once Palestinians are granted permission to visit detained relatives, they are collected in special buses, supplied and paid for by the ICRC, which transport them to the Israel Military Checkpoint where they cross into Israel. If the bus contains males, Israeli military vehicles escort the bus from the border crossing to the prison and back 5. On April 1st 1996 Israel announced that it would allow some Palestinian workers from Gaza to return to work in Israel. However, Israel has supplied only a very limited number of work permits, while at the same time imposing security procedures and other obstacles, which impede the ability of even this small number of workers to cross the border. On Sunday April 21st only 4,710 workers were permitted to enter Israel to work.
Workers returning to work in Israel face further obstacles.
Israel announced on April 1st that some Gazan workers who formerly worked in the agricultural sector in southern Israel could return to work there. In fact very few workers from this sector have been able to return to work even though they possess the required Israeli permits. Following the imposition of the closure on February 25th, the Sofa Checkpoint, the main crossing point used by workers in this sector, was closed completely to workers. It was not re-opened even following the announcement that these workers would be able to return to work . Israeli authorities are requiring workers in this sector to enter Israel via Erez Checkpoint.