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UNRWA España - Actualidad sobre los refugiados de Palestina - Gaza: INFORME DIARIO DE SITUACIÓN (25 julio)

Gaza: INFORME DIARIO DE SITUACIÓN (25 julio)

Actualización de 24 horas Datos hasta las 08.00 h. de 25 de julio 2014

On 7 July UNRWA declared an emergency in all five areas of the Gaza Strip in response to escalating violence between Israel and Hamas. Since then, civilian displacement and fatalities have risen sharply. According to the Protection Cluster, 83 Palestinians have been killed during this reporting period, including twelve women and nine children. The total number of Palestinian deaths reported by the Protection Cluster currently stands at 839 and the number of wounded, as reported by the Ministry of Health has reached 5,345. The number of displaced people is now triple the peak number from the 2008/9 conflict, and exceeds 150,137 in 84 schools. UNRWA has launched an emergency flash appeal for US$ 115 million to respond to the urgent and pressing humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza.

 

GENERAL

Past 24 hours:The past 24 hours has seen an appalling attack on an UNRWA school operating as a designated emergency shelter. On 23 July, Beit Hanoun Elementary Co-ed A and D School was hit by explosive projectiles causing multiple injuries and fatalities to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge there. With the security situation in Beit Hanoun deteriorating rapidly during the course of the day, UNRWA had been attempting to negotiate with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) a pause in the fighting during which they would guarantee a safe corridor to relocate staff and any displaced person who chose to evacuate to a more secure location. Approval for that never came to UNRWA. The school’s coordinates had been formally conveyed to the Israeli authorities on twelve occasions.

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon condemned the act and stressed again that all sides must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, to “respect the sanctity of civilian life, the inviolability of UN premises and to honor their obligations to humanitarian workers”. UNRWA Commissioner- General, Pierre Krähenbühl, speaking from Jerusalem reiterated calls for all parties to recognize and respect the sanctity, neutrality and inviolability of UN premises and described this tragedy as yet another illustration that no one in Gaza is safe.

UNRWA is gravely concerned about flagrant violations of international law being committed during this conflict. The appalling attack on Beit Hanoun School followed three previous incidents in just the past four days of UNRWA shelters being hit by explosive projectiles. UNRWA shelters provide refuge to civilians displaced by conflict in a context where people have nowhere else to go. Movement of people to and from Gaza remains virtually banned. For most Gazans, UNRWA shelters represent the only safe place in Gaza, and the deplorable attacks of the last few days place even this in jeopardy.

Levels of displacement in Gaza continue to grow, with the number of IDPs taking refuge in UNRWA shelters today passing 150,000. In some shelters, more than 80 people are sharing one classroom, placing great pressure on UNRWA resources and adding even more stress to already traumatized families. On 24 July UNRWA opened the last available school in Khan Younis as a designated emergency shelter. All available schools in Gaza and North Areas are already operating as shelters and are at capacity. The level of displacement currently being seen in Gaza is staggering, with numbers of IDPs in UNRWA shelters now triple the peak number from the 2008/09 conflict.

With such high numbers of displaced taking refuge in UNRWA shelters, the Agency is making huge efforts to provide vital humanitarian supplies to IDPs in all five areas of the Gaza Strip, but is facing massive challenges in terms of supply and access. UNRWA is facing particular challenges in northern areas of the Gaza Strip and in Bureij and Maghazi, due to the expanded Israeli- imposed ‘buffer zone’ and high levels of insecurity.

For example, IDPs in an UNRWA shelter in Maghazi have not been able to receive any water for four days due to access restrictions, and have been dependent on what little local communities are able to provide. Where UNRWA shelters are not receiving pumped water due to damaged or inaccessible infrastructure, UNRWA is delivering water with tankers. UNRWA has also been receiving support from Oxfam to provide drinking water to shelters; and is working to improve water infrastructure in UNRWA shelters in an effort to improve levels of access. UNRWA, together with the World Food Programme (WFP) are also under great pressure in delivering bread and other food items to shelters in the northern Gaza Strip as suppliers in these areas are stretched to capacity. In addition, some food stores are located in areas that require prior coordination with Israeli authorities due to the 3km Israeli- imposed ‘buffer zone’. With numbers of people displaced during this conflict far surpassing initial estimates, UNRWA is grateful for donations of NFIs that have been received, including mattresses, blankets and hygiene kits. UNRWA continues to face daily challenges in delivering these supplies in sufficient quantities to all areas of the Gaza Strip.

 

UNRWA’s response

·         UNRWA is now providing shelter to more than 150,137 beneficiaries in all five areas of the Gaza Strip. There are currently 84 designated emergency shelters. The priority continues to be the provision of food, water, sleeping, hygiene and cleaning items.

·         During this period, UNRWA delivered 22 trucks of NFIs to shelters, 69 trucks of food and 70,000Lt of non- potable water.

·         Regular UNRWA operations are affected but continue as security permits. On 24 July, 13 out of 21 UNRWA Health Centers were open and 14,229 patients were served at UNRWA Health Centers across the Gaza Strip, including 2,921 IDPs staying in UNRWA shelters who accessed nearby UNRWA Health Centers.

·         Regular UNRWA emergency food distribution continued in nine out of twelve Distribution Centers.  During this period UNRWA distributed 10,144 rations.

·         On 22 July,415 Sanitation Laborers reported to work in all but two areas of the Gaza Strip (Bureij and Maghazi were inaccessible due to heavy fighting and access restrictions); and removed 220 tones of solid waste.

 

Summary of Major Incidents

Reportedly there were 102 rockets and 46 mortar shells fired towards Israel. There were also reports that 127 missiles were fired into Gaza in addition to 45 navy shells and 740 tank shells. Reportedly, 35 houses were bombarded.

 

UNRWA Installations 

A total of 92 UNRWA installations have been damaged since 1 June, 2014, many of them on multiple occasions.

In the past 24 hours, five UNRWA installations were damaged, including three schools, a sanitation office and a maintenance office. 

Funding Needs 

UNRWA has launched an emergency flash appeal for US$ 115 million to provide emergency assistance to 150,000 people through its shelters- where food, NFI and psychosocial support are provided- and through health and social service facilities available to those not taking refuge in UNRWA shelters. This funding will also allow UNRWA to start early recovery activities once hostilities cease.

More information on the appeal can be found by here:

http://www.unrwa.org/sites/default/files/gaza_flash_appeal2014.pdf

 

Crossings

Rafah crossing was open for foreign passport holders and wounded Palestinians

·         Erez was closed.

·         Kerem Shalom crossing was open for food and fuel.

 

Background 

Following the escalation in violence between Gaza and Israel in November 2012 an understanding was reached between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Egypt. 2013 was subsequently the quietest year in a decade, in terms of hostilities between Israel and Gaza. Events in 2014, however, have led to a profound deterioration in the situation.

The Israeli blockade of Gaza entered its 8th year in June 2014 and continues to have a devastating effect as access to markets and people’s movement to and from the Gaza Strip remain severely restricted. The economy and its capacity to create jobs has been devastated, with the majority of the population becoming dependent on humanitarian aid to meet basic needs. The number of Palestine refugees relying on UNRWA for food aid has increased from fewer than 80,000 in 2000 to over 830,000 today.

Gaza: Facts and Figures

1.2 million refugees

8 refugee camps

Over 12,500 staff

245 schools for more than 230,000 students

21 health centres

12 food distribution centres for more than 830,000 refugees

Living under a tightened land and sea blockade since 2007

Shattered local economy

Compártelo

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