Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions has warned of humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged enclave if Israeli closure of Gaza border crossings continues.

The federation's head, Sami al-Amsi, said in a statement that the closure for the 46th consecutive day had prevented shipments of raw materials from entering Gaza, the Palestinian Information Center reported on Monday.

Factories in the besieged Gaza Strip, he said, have run out of raw materials and there is a significant shortage of basic goods Gaza citizens need.

In these circumstances, many factories are going to have to carry out considerable lay-offs, al-Amsi said. “Such a situation has affected the income of thousands of workers and worsened the living conditions of their families.”

Elsewhere in his statement, al-Amsi said Israel was hampering some exports by Gaza farmers, leading to a financial loss of a large extent.

The Palestinian official appealed to the international community to act against Israel with regard to its policies against the Palestinians.

The Gaza Strip, home to some two million people, has been under a blockade imposed by Israel since June 2007.

In recent years, the enclave has been receiving its bare essentials through the Kerem Shalom crossing as well as two others, including one with Egypt, which is being strictly controlled by the government in Cairo.

Israel has also launched three major wars on Gaza since 2008.

In the latest Israeli bombardment campaign, more than 250 Palestinians, including over 60 children, were killed in a time span of 11 days that began on May 10. The Gaza-based resistance movements retaliated. Well over 4,000 rockets were fired into the occupied territories, some reaching as far as Tel Aviv and even Haifa and Nazareth to the north.

The regime was eventually forced to announce a ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, which came into force in the early hours of May 21.