---Forwarded Message---
Date:
Fri, 15 Oct 2004 17:15:28 -0500
Sender: ELCA Mid-East Networking List
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: Ann Hafften <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Gaza Report from the UN 041015
Oct. 15, 2004
>From the ELCA Middle East Networking List...
Israeli forces are pulling back from the recent incursion in
Gaza. Here is a report from the United Nations, issued last
week. For more information from the UN, go to:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=70&Body=
Palestin&Body1 .
United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
OCHA, MAC House, P.O.Box 639, Jerusalem, 91004 Tel/Fax:
+-972-(0)2-5829962
Humanitarian Situation Update - Northern Gaza
Friday, 8 October 2004
At 10.30 pm on Tuesday, 28 September, Israeli Defense Forces
(IDF) entered northern Gaza establishing positions on high
ground overlooking Izbet Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and Jabalia.
Israeli reinforcements entered northern Gaza on 30 September
and it is estimated that up to 200 tanks, bulldozers and
armoured personnel carriers are on the ground in heavily
populated civilian areas.
The incursion comes in the wake of the continued firing of
homemade rockets by Palestinian militants towards Israel, and
the killing of three soldiers in Morag settlement on 23
September and one settler in Neve Dekalim on 24 September.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz announced on 30
September, a "large scale and prolonged operation" - Days
of
Penitence - aimed at pushing Palestinian missiles out of
range of Sderot with plans to create a buffer zone that may
reach up to 9 kilometres. Despite the heavy military
presence, Palestinian homemade rockets continue to be fired
towards Israel and the Gaza settlements on an almost daily
basis, with a further two landing near Sderot on 7 October.
The IDF operation still remains focused on Jabalia camp, an
area of 1.4 km2 home to a registered refugee population of
103,646. Block 4 has been the scene of heavy fighting as well
as Blocks 2, 3 and 5. Since the start of this week, Israeli
forces have controlled all movement in and out of Beit Hanoun
to the east of Salah ed Din street, while access to the Tal
el Zatar and Glebo areas in the east of Jabalia is all but im
possible because of the large number of Israeli tanks.
Humanitarian assistance remains extremely limited. A
significant number of UN staff has been unable to enter or
exit Gaza since 21 September because of IDF imposed
restrictions. The extent of military operations has made the
operating environment extremely dangerous. The International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) did not operate in northern
Gaza on 6 and 7 October. The ICRC estimates that each request
for coordination takes on average five to six hours.
Casualties
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH), 101
Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 28 September of
which 29 have been children aged 18 and younger - nearly 30
%. Eighty-eight of these deaths occurred in northern Gaza, 25
killed were children. Five Israelis have died, including two
children who were killed by a homemade rockets fired by
Palestinian militants from northern Gaza into Sderot on 29
September.
An even higher percentage of Palestinian children have
suffered injuries. On the basis of figures provided by the
MoH, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 392
Palestinians were injured in the Gaza Strip of which 168
(42.8%) were children. Of these, 339 injuries were reported
in northern Gaza of which 146 were children.
Homes and property
Accurate figures on the extent of home destruction are
difficult to obtain. The ICRC, on the basis of field visits
to eastern Jabalia between 3 and 5 October, estimates that
between 70 and 80 Palestinian homes have been destroyed.
UNICEF has distributed 300 family kits containing clothes,
shoes and school stationery for the worst affected families
covering some 1,500 children.
Infrastructure damage
The ICRC reports that power has now been restored to most of
the homes in the area between Sika street and Salah ed Din
street. However, leaks still occur in the water network
system in the area. A 8,000 litre UNRWA tanker accompanied
the food distribution on 7 October to address this problem.
Land levelling
UNRWA and the World Food Programme (WFP) (who were
distributing food in the Sika street area of eastern Jabalia
on 7 October) confirmed that extensive land levelling has
taken place between Sika street and Salah ed Din street.
Given the volatile situation on the ground, it is not
possible for UNRWA or local organisations to provide an
accurate assessment of the amount of land that has been
levelled since the start of the operation.
Food
Following prior coordination with the IDF to enter areas
under its control, UNRWA and WFP finally succeeded in a food
distribution on 7 October. UNRWA had last attempted a
distribution on 30 September but this was abandoned due to
heavy IDF gunfire in the vicinity of the UNRWA relief office
from where the distribution was taking place.
During the Thursday distribution, 300 families in the Sika
street area received food parcels. Each UNRWA food parcel
contained 15 kg of rice, 15 kg of sugar, 12 kg of lentils, 5
kg of whole milk, 7 litres of sunflower oil, 60 tins of
canned meat, fish and vegetables and fresh bread. WFP
supplied the bread, cooking oil and high energy biscuits.
UNRWA and WFP intend a further distribution 8 October that
planned to target 200 families in Tal el Zatar. As of 2.00 pm
8 October, UNRWA and WFP were still awaiting the agreement of
the IDF to move into the area. (UNRWA has identified 600
vulnerable families, approximately 3,300 persons that have
been unable to leave their homes since the beginning of the
incursion.)
Education
Schools remain closed in Jabalia , Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia
affecting 30,000 UNRWA students and 8,000 students from the
state sector.
Health
Concern persists over the inability of Palestinian civilians
living in isolated areas to access health services. Patients
cannot reach clinics and hospitals, and health service
providers cannot reach those needing medical assistance. In
Beit Hanoun, primary health care services are available
through the MoH and UNRWA clinic, but there are no secondary
facilities in the town. Persons must travel to Kamal Adwan
hospital in Jabalia and Al Awda hospital in Beit Lahia. Prior
coordination with the IDF is required, in order to reach
either of these hospitals.
International organizations are attempting to increase the
capacity of both hospitals and clinics.
CARE International as part of its ongoing Emergency Medical
Assistance Programme (EMAP) will support an additional two
clinics in northern Gaza operated by the Palestine Red
Crescent Society (PRCS) and the Palestinian Medical Relief
Services (PMRS). Each clinic will receive a medical kit
containing approximately 800 treatments. Emergency disposable
kits will also be provided by CARE International to PMRS
mobile units currently in Jabalia camp. Around 60% of the
items in the kits will be repacked and distributed to houses
in the camp as individual first aid kits, and the remaining
40% will be used by the mobile units. Items included are
sterile gauze, micropore tape, crepe bandage, cotton wool and
gauze rolls.
UNICEF has delivered an emergency health kit to Kamal Adwan
hospital, which has sufficient supplies to treat 30,000
people for one month. Additionally, as part of its regular
pre-positioning process, UNICEF will be factoring in
additional supplies to take account of the current situation
in northern Gaza. Orders have been placed for early newborn
kits of which 200 are planned for northern Gaza, physical
trauma kits, obstetric kits and a further five emergency
health kits, which will each have a 150,000 person capacity.
Access for chronic patients suffering from conditions such as
asthma, diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disorders remains
a serious concern. UNRWA believes that a number of patients
has stored their required medications in expectation of
prolonged closures. However, this is only possible for those
taking oral treatments. As each day passes, stocks will
diminish. Despite reports of widespread infrastructure damage
which has affected water and sewerage networks, there is
currently no indication of an increase in communicable
diseases.
Closures
The Gaza Strip remains divided into three sections because of
the IDF imposed closures of the coastal road south of Gaza
city since 27 September and Abu Houli junction since 29
September. Restrictions were lifted on both the road and
junction only on 4 October between 2.30 and 5.00 pm.
Humanitarian Access
International humanitarian staff working for the UN have been
prevented by the IDF from entering Gaza since Tuesday, 21
September. An attempt at coordination was made on Monday, 4
October that failed. A further attempt is planed for
Saturday, 9 October. UNRWA and the ICRC report that the IDF
has now gravelled the "humanitarian road" between Al Nadr
towers and the bedouin village in northern Beit Lahia. Prior
to this resurfacing, it had been extremely difficult for
vehicles to pass.
Coordination
Coordination meetings initiated by OCHA and WHO have taken
place in Gaza City on 3 and 7 October and have involved UN
agencies, ICRC, national and international NGOs.
---End of Forwarded Message---
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