DG ECHO Situation Report (SitRep) Situation report no. 14/2009 Deteriorating humanitarian situation & access in Gaza

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1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AID - ECHO DG ECHO Situation Report (SitRep) Situation report no. 14/2009 Event Country of operation Deteriorating humanitarian situation & access in Gaza Occupied Palestinian Territory / Gaza Period covered by report 23 January 2009 To 29 January 2009 Time of validity of report DG ECHO Office 21:00 (local) Jerusalem, with contributions from the EC liaison officer at the Israeli Ministry of Defence (COGAT). Number of people affected (source) Number of refugees and/or internally displaced persons (IDPs). Number of dead Number of wounded Number of missing Entire population of the Gaza strip. According to the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) the number of people living in Gaza is 1,416,530 According to UNRWA the number of refugees in the Gaza Strip is 1,048,125. They represent 73.9% of the entire population of Gaza. 1,366 Palestinian fatalities, of whom 430 children and 111 women according to WHO (report of ). 3 Israeli civilians + 11 Israeli soldiers have been killed according to Magen David Adom (MDA) 5,380 Palestinian injured, of whom 1870 are children and 800 women, according to WHO (report of ). 182 Israeli civilian and 339 Israeli soldiers were injured according to Magen David Adom (MDA) 100 persons according to ICRC 1. GENERAL SITUATION: In its report of 29 January, OCHA states that a number of incidents over the past few days have endangered the cease-fire unilaterally implemented by Israel on 18 January, and later the same day by Hamas and other Palestinian factions. On the morning of 27 January, one Israeli soldier was killed and three soldiers injured by a roadside bomb on the Israeli side of the Gaza border. One Palestinian was killed, and another seriously injured, in separate incidents by Israeli fire following the explosion. On 29 January, the Israeli air force wounded the militant allegedly responsible for the explosion, in addition to seven schoolgirls who were passing by. The Israeli air force also carried out raids on tunnels along the Gaza-Egyptian borders and on a building in Rafah on the night of 28 January. Palestinian militants fired two Qassam rockets into southern Israel on 28 January; no injuries were reported.

2 The European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel visited Gaza on 26 January to have a direct impression of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and to raise humanitarian concerns with the Israeli authorities. A meeting took place in Ramallah with Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The Commissioner recalled the longstanding commitment of the EC in the region and announced the Commission Global Plan for 2009 amounting to 58 M for humanitarian aid to Palestinians in occupied Palestinian territory and Lebanon including 32 M for Gaza Strip. In Gaza, Commissioner Michel witnessed the level of destruction resulting from 3 weeks of hostilities. He toured the devastated residential and industrial area of Izbet Abd Rabo in Jabaliya including the destruction of several factories. Louis Michel also visited the Al Quds hospital in Gaza city that suffered direct hits by the Israeli army. After the visit to Gaza, the Commissioner went to Sderot in Israel where he met with the Mayor and Israeli Minister of Interior Meir Sheetrit. He reported on the extent of destruction in Gaza and conveyed his solidarity to the people of Sderot who live under the threat of rockets. In his meeting with Israeli Minister of Social and Humanitarian Affairs Isaac Herzog, the Commissioner recalled the widespread suffering of the civilian population and the nonrespect of IHL by either party. The Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) issued an appeal calling for all crossings into Gaza to be operational 24 hours a day in order to position essential items in Gaza. Furthermore, it emphasises Gaza s need for a broad-based humanitarian response beyond providing medical aid, emergency medical treatment and basic relief such as food and water. Without adequate materials and cash, recovery efforts will be greatly undermined and the population of Gaza will become completely dependent on aid, the release states. ICRC staff collected information on more than 100 people registered by their families as missing during the conflict, in an attempt to find out what happened to them and to restore contact between them and their loved ones. Together with the Palestine Red Crescent, the ICRC identified 650 partially destroyed houses and 884 totally destroyed houses in various areas, including Tel Al-Hawa, Al-Atatra, Zaytun, Rafah and Khan Yunis. The UNSG announced the Gaza flash appeal, aiming to help the 1.4 million inhabitants of Gaza to meet their emergency relief and early recovery needs. The appeal includes 98 NGO and 73 UN projects for a total funding request of US $ 613 million (approximately 473 M ), of which US $ 533 million is still needed (around 380 M ). Priority sectors of intervention are food (US $ 153 million), shelter and non-food items (US $ 128 million), cash-for-work and cash-assistance (US $ 92 million), health (US $ 48 million) and education (US $ 40 million). OCHA outlines that for its full implementation, the plan requires the sustained opening of all crossings into Gaza for relief supplies and aid workers. 2. HUMANITARIAN NEEDS: Health: Although hospitals still have a large number of intensive care patients, capacity is gradually freeing up for the provision of routine care for chronically ill patients who are now returning for treatment, as well as regular services such as elective surgery. Hospitals are receiving mains electricity intermittently, with generators providing back-up electricity supply. Repair of medical equipment, already a priority before the conflict when the blockade hindered the import of necessary spare parts, remains a priority, as does the import of spare parts for medical equipment. According to a recent report by the consultancy company Near East Consulting, about 96 percent of Gaza residents feel depressed and disheartened. The highest level of depression is in North Gaza and Rafah, where 81 percent of the respondents do not feel secure about

3 their households and family members. This represents an increase of 17% from December Food: The Gaza population continues to face difficulties accessing food due to price increases and the lack of currency. In addition, the destruction of agricultural fields has added to the shortage of locally-produced foods. Water and sanitation: The water and sanitation situation in Gaza Governorate, North Gaza and the Middle Area has improved; at least 70 % of the water system is functioning, although this does not mean everyone is receiving water due to localised damage. The sewage network in parts of Gaza is still damaged. In some areas, the price of tankered water is as high as 175 NIS/m³ (33 ). UNICEF warns that a continued shortage of drinking water and overflowing sewage in residential areas poses serious public health risks. The CMWU, Gaza s water utility, continues to work on urgent maintenance of the water and wastewater networks, though it will be unable to complete the repair without the entry of needed spare parts into Gaza: CMWU currently has a list of prioritized items, such as pipes, generators and pumps, awaiting clearance by the Israeli authorities for entry into Gaza. Humanitarian organisations, including ACF, CARE, ICRC, Oxfam and UNICEF, continue to provide drinking water to people in need, material and financial support to CMWU for emergency repairs of water as well as plumbing, hygiene kits and family water kits. Nevertheless, additional assistance is still required to meet the needs of the population. A damage assessment by the CMWU revealed that four water wells in Beit Hanoun, Gaza and Jabalia have been completely destroyed and several water carriers (e.g. Nuseirat, Gaza main water wells and Khan Yunis) have been damaged. The waste water networks in Gaza, Beit Hanoun, Jabalia and Beit Lahia have also sustained serious damage. The final report of the damage assessment carried out by the CMWU reveals that repairing the water and wastewater network and facilities will cost approximately US$ 6 million, including US$ 1.8 million to repair the water network and US$ 830,000 to repair the wastewater network. CMWU currently has 80 tonnes of chlorine to disinfect water supplies, normally sufficient for the coming 45 days. Shelter & NFI: OCHA reports that between 22 and 25 January, international and local NGOs operating in Gaza conducted a joint rapid needs assessment of the level of damage to housing units and the location and numbers of people still displaced. The survey was conducted in all localities and neighborhoods in Gaza, except for refugee camps which are covered by UNRWA. In 48 of 61 localities which have reported results, the survey found that about 22.6 percent of housing units were damaged or destroyed. Of those damaged, 16.7 percent reported light to moderate damage, 3.2 percent reported severe damage, and 2.6 percent reported that the homes had been destroyed. Most of the damage has been reported in rural areas which have higher non-refugee populations, meaning the nonrefugee population has been disproportionately affected by the damage to housing. This data is preliminary and further full assessments are underway. Thousands of Gazans still remain homeless, although the exact number of people displaced is still unknown. The assessment of the 48 localities found that more than 66,000 people had not yet returned to their homes and were staying with relatives or other hosts. Most Gazans who have been displaced are currently staying with host families, which are overstretched and face shortages of food, non-food items (mattresses, blankets) and water and electricity. OCHA reports that as of the morning of 29 January, three non-school shelters remain open in Jabalia, Beach Camp and Deir Al Balah, hosting 74 families (446 people).

4 Electricity/Fuel/Cooking Gas: Most of the Gaza Strip receives only intermittent electricity, with Gaza Governorate and North Gaza receiving an average of 12 hours of electricity every day, though some areas still do not have power due to localised damage. While the main power lines in Gaza have been repaired, the low-voltage lines taking electricity directly to households are still not working in Jabalia, Zeitoun and Sudania. This also affects water distribution in those areas. According to GEDCO, Gaza s power utility, the lines can be repaired within three weeks provided that the necessary parts and other supplies are made available. The power plant is still working on only one turbine, producing 30 MW. On average, since the cease-fire, the power plant has received 223,000 litres of fuel per day while it needs 450,000 litres daily to produce its full capacity of 80 MW. Since the cease-fire (about 10 days), Israel has allowed entry of nearly 700 tonnes of cooking gas - approximately 87 tonnes per day - which is much less than its estimated need of 300 tonnes per day. No petrol or diesel has been allowed into Gaza since 2 November, except for UNRWA. UXO: the problem of unexploded ordnances (UXO) is particularly acute due to the fact that the Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Contamination represents a major threat for the people and the rescue teams working in the field and could hold back the pace of humanitarian aid. 3. HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE UN/ICRC/NGOs response: Health: Up until 28 January, a total of 4,226 tons of medical supplies was sent through Rafah border. Since 27 December 2008, Egyptian hospitals have received 716 Palestinians together with 672 family members. 584 of them are under treatment, while 102 have been discharged and 30 have died. 81 more are treated abroad in other Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Libya, Morocco), while 15 are still in Turkey and Belgium hospitals (9 and 6 respectively). Of the 814 referrals abroad, 32 have passed away. Injuries range from burns, amputations, comas and multiple fractions. Food: All 10 UNRWA distribution centres are open, feeding 25,000 people per day. On 25 January, WFP distributed 95 tonnes of food to 993 families (5,958 beneficiaries) in Gaza and North Gaza. On 26 January, WFP began a school feeding programme for 30,000 children in 48 government schools in Gaza city and Khan Yunis to provide UHT milk, high-energy biscuits and canned meat to students. WFP warehouses are currently storing approximately 4,024 metric tonnes of food commodities. Contrary to earlier reports, WFP staff are still not authorised to access Karni warehouse until it is completely cleared of the presence of possible UXO. All other warehouses managed by the cooperating partners are now accessible. The staff are finalising the physical count together with the cooperating partners, in order to identify the losses and damage caused by the war. Since 27 December 2008, WFP has succeeded in reaching 217,512 beneficiaries from its regular caseload. Shelter and NFI: UN HABITAT sent a field mission to Gaza to assess the damage and take part in the early recovery programme of the UN agencies. Their aim is to focus on shelter and settlement recovery, basic infrastructure, rehabilitation and support to local authorities in managing post conflict reconstruction. OCHA reports that distribution of food, water and non-food items to the shelters continues. Since the shelters were established, UNRWA has distributed approximately

5 7,000 mattresses, 42,000 blankets and 1,150 mats, along with water, bread and tinned meat. Education: UNRWA schools reopened on 24 January UNICEF reports an 80% pupil attendance rate in government schools while UNRWA reports a 96% pupil attendance rate and 99% teacher attendance rate in its schools on 28 January. Schools are currently focusing on providing psychosocial and mental health support to pupils. UNICEF supplied 130 school-in-a-box kits to 10,400 students and 84 recreational kits to 6,720 pupils as well as math and science kits to 4,200 students. UXO: A three-person mine action assessment team comprising of UN Mine Action Service, Mine Advisory Group and Norwegian Peoples Aid representatives arrived in Gaza on 23 January 2009 to conduct an assessment of the scope and scale of the UXO problem in order to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance. They have delivered a UXO safety briefing to staff from around 30 NGOs. ICRC and UNICEF continue to raise awareness on the danger of UXOs. UNICEF has distributed 75,000 leaflets and aired two radio spots on four different radio stations on protection from UXOs. Donors contributions: As of 29 January, EU contributions stand at 38,268,194 : Czech Republic 200,000 Denmark 2,674,295 EC (ECHO) 3,000,000 Estonia 65,379 Finland 1,050,000 France 2,913,084 Germany 3,960,768 Greece 597,908 Ireland 500,000 Italy 3,085,000 Luxembourg 1,358,000 Poland 250,000 Portugal 302,760 Slovenia 50,000 Spain 7,130,000 United Kingdom 11,131,000 Total 38,268,194 Global donors contributions: According to OCHA financial tracking service as at 29 January 2009, US $ 242,075,681 (around 172,911,200 ) were made available by donors while additional US $ 56,500,553 (around 40,357,537 ) are pledged. 4. HUMANITARIAN SPACE AND ACCESS Humanitarian Access: Access of humanitarian personnel: OCHA reports that as of the morning of 28 January, approximately 30 international NGO staff members were in Gaza, along with

6 approximately 22 UN international staff members." Currently, there are outstanding requests for over 200 people to enter Gaza and this number is growing by the day. Access of humanitarian commodities: remains very difficult, with a bottleneck on the Israeli side. For example, ICRC requested 36 trucks for this week (25 to 29 January) and got authorisation for only 13, i.e. 35%. In addition, six trucks with pipes which had been approved went to the crossings on 29 January and were refused. USAID-funded trucks were also turned away today and told that they carried forbidden goods the trucks were carrying macaroni and flour The Israeli Ministry of Defence (COGAT) answered very clearly that there is an Israeli capacity limit at Keren Shalom (about 120 trucks with a short-term objective of 150 trucks) and that Israel tries to cater for both humanitarian and commercial goods; although they receive requests for approximately 150 humanitarian trucks a day, they can allocate only about 90 in order to leave for the private sector. ICRC suggested that a possible way to significantly increase the capacity would be to allow trucks with a double stack of pallets to go through. COGAT will look into the issue. On 25 January, seven truckloads of medical supplies, water, blankets and mattresses entered Gaza via the Rafah crossing. 120 truckloads, including 47 for aid agencies, entered Gaza through Kerem Shalom crossing tonnes of cooking gas and 448,000 litres of industrial gas were transferred into Gaza through the Nahal Oz pipeline. The Nahal Oz fuel pipeline, Karni conveyor belt and Rafah, Kerem Shalom, and Erez crossings were open on 26 January. However, on the same day, two teams from World Vision and Save the Children were refused entry into Gaza via Erez. All crossings were closed on 27 January after an attack on an Israeli Army patrol occurred. 243 tons of grain was transferred before, as well as 82,000 litres of industrial fuel and 25 tons of cooking gas. On 28 January, the Kerem Shalom, Karni, Nahal Oz and Erez crossings were all open. Throughout the day, a total of 174 trucks with 4,701 tons of humanitarian supplies were transferred to Gaza according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including also goods for the private sector - dairy products, fruit, and reproductive eggs. 3,116 tons of grain was transferred via the Karni conveyor belt. Also, 45,000 litres of heavy duty diesel for the Gaza power station was transferred via the Nahal Oz fuel depot. On 29 January, Karni was closed; however, the conveyor belt was open for bulk grains. Kerem Shalom and Nahal Oz were opened. 92,000 litres of industrial fuel entered Gaza. 5. RECOMMENDATIONS: The main issues relative to access remain unsolved and in the absence of a significant increase in the capacity of the crossings, it will be impossible to envisage implementing the strategy that the UN proposes in their Flash Appeal, which calls for a $ 613 million humanitarian and early recovery effort. The quantity of goods allowed into Gaza, which currently amounts to around 200 trucks a day, is largely insufficient to answer humanitarian and commercial needs. The UN has calculated that an average of 500 trucks a day would be needed to answer urgent humanitarian and early recovery needs. This means that the capacity of current crossings should be strongly enhanced, notably that the crossing of Keren Shalom should be upgraded from 150 to 250 trucks a day, and most importantly that the Karni crossing should urgently be reopened to containers, as this is where the highest capacity stands.

7 NGOs have been allowed back into Gaza since Saturday 24 January. However, some of their personnel as well as diplomats continue to have the greatest difficulties in entering and even getting out of Gaza. Unimpeded access for humanitarian personnel responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the relief effort should be granted. Works at the border crossings should be speeded up so that an increased flow of trucks can be allowed in the shortest delay. In order for basic humanitarian needs to be covered and urgent rehabilitation to take place, the list of products allowed entering Gaza, which is currently restricted to fifteen items, should be expanded. There should not be a restricted list of allowed products but rather of forbidden products. Prior authorisation project by project, as suggested by the Israeli side is not acceptable and not workable on a day-to-day basis. For the sake of accurate needs assessment and close monitoring of the aid, it is essential that international staff should obtain permits to go into Gaza in the shortest delay and that a fast-track system of clearance be put in place, as Israeli Minister of Social and Humanitarian Affairs Isaac Herzog has committed himself to. There is an urgent need to allow cash back to the Gaza strip. Without the resumption of cash circuits, the population in Gaza will never be able to recover and will continue to be fully dependent on external humanitarian aid. An exemption of VAT and other duties should be granted on the purchase of fuel for the Gaza power plant.