A UN Special Focus on Gaza Under Siege
In June 2007, Israel placed the Territory under siege and imposed an unprecedented blockade on nearly all movement and supplies in and out of the Strip, “triggering a protracted human dignity crisis with negative humanitarian consequences.” At its heart is the “degradation (of) living conditions,” the erosion of livelihoods, the lack of vital services in the areas of health, water, sanitation and education, and the collapse of essential infrastructure in the wake of Operation Cast Lead.
Over the past several months, Israel allowed in only small amounts of vital goods and services, far below quantities essential enough to relieve a grave humanitarian crisis. Despite the urgings of the UN, ICRC, a few nations, and numerous human rights organizations, Israel continues its blockade that includes:
– the closure of border crossings, including Karni, the largest and best equipped commercial one, except for a conveyor belt for the transfer of inadequate amounts of grains;
– tight restrictions on the import of industrial, agricultural, construction, and essential to life products, services, and materials;
– a suspension of nearly all exports;
– restricted amounts of industrial fuel (for Gaza’s sole power plant), benzene, diesel, and cooking gas;
– except for a limited number of humanitarian cases, a ban on Palestinian traffic through Erez, the only passenger crossing to the West Bank;
– other than intermittent openings, the closure of Rafah, the Egyptian-controlled crossing; and
– restricted (to close to shore) fishing and accessibility to farmland.
After over two years of siege:
– Gaza’s economy was wrecked;
– the UN report way underestimates the number of job losses at 120,000 and unemployment at 40%;
– on May 1, the Palestinian Chamber of Commerce reported that unemployment reached 65%, poverty hit 80%, and the longer the siege continues, the higher these figures will go; in addition, 96% of Gaza’s industrial capacity is shuttered, and well over 80% of the population is aid-dependent; yet most get below minimal amounts of everything;
– Gazans have had to shift from a high-nutritional diet to a low-cost cereals, sugar and oil one, “which can lead to micro-nutritional deficiencies, particularly among children and pregnant women;”
– OCHA identified 1,383 (mostly civilian) deaths, including 333 children during Operation Cast Lead;
– Israel’s ban on construction materials prevents the rebuilding of homes and other structures;
– many thousands of Gazans now live with relatives, in tents, or if lucky in rented apartments, much fewer in number post-conflict;
– inadequate fuel supplies cause up to eight-hour-a-day blackouts for 90% of the population; the other 10% have no power;
– many thousands have no running water and none of it meets WHO sanitary standards because of high pollution levels; more on that below;
– 80 million liters of raw and partially-treated sewage are discharged daily, thus causing serious sea and underground aquifer pollution, detrimental to human health;
– medical facilities are severely strapped by shortages of everything plus a lack of essential equipment, drugs, and capacity to handle a growing population; few patients needing specialized treatment are permitted to leave Gaza to get it;
– education is undermined by over-crowding, a lack of materials for rebuilding and repairs, and shortages of virtually all teaching materials; and
– post Operation Cast Lead and after over two years under siege, a state of humanitarian crisis exists for most Gazans with continued deterioration daily.