African immigrants in Israel

Since 2006, Israel has seen a steep rise in the number of migrants arriving from Africa, in particular from Eritrea, Sudan and Ivory Coast. It is estimated that in 2011 over 20,000 entered illegally through the porous Southern border with Egypt. The Israeli government has been working to put in place harsh measure to discourage illegals from entering, including the construction of a 240 KM long wall on the border with Egypt. African migrants face a dangerous journey to reach Israel. Aside from paying thousands of dollars to Bedouin smugglers to cross the Sinai, they are often sold for ransom or, as CNN reported, used as 'body parts' in the illegal trade of organ trafficking.
Refugees' groups and NGOs in Israel and abroad have been active in lobbying the international community to take measures against the human trafficking in the Sinai, which to this day is continuing unpunished.