Ma'an – 202 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the
Israeli military operation 'Summer Rains' began on 28 June to free captured
Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, the United Nations Office for Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) has reported. Of the 202, 44 were children and of these 44,
39 were killed in July alone, making July 2006 the second deadliest month
since the beginning of the Al Aqsa Intifada in September 2000.
In the same period, the Israeli forces destroyed approximately 120
Palestinian structures - including houses, workshops and greenhouses - in
the Gaza Strip and damaged another 160.
Infrastructure in the Gaza Strip remains in tatters: UNDP estimates the cost
to the electricity networks to be US$ 1.8 million. All hospitals and half of
all primary health care facilities in the Gaza Strip now run on generators
as a result of the lack of electricity, according to UNICEF. Gazans receive
approximately 6-8 hours of electricity a day and families in urban areas of
the Strip have water for only 2-3 hours a day, UN agencies report.
OCHA adds that no humanitarian aid has passed through Karni crossing in the
northeast of the Strip since 15 August as it was closed for "security
reasons" according to the Israeli forces. UNRWA, amongst other groups, has
said that this closure is jeopardising their operations. For example, UNRWA
has 123 empty containers waiting to leave Gaza and 13 full containers
waiting in the Israeli port of Ashdod that are unable to enter the Gaza
Strip due to the closure.
No Palestinian workers have been allowed through Erez crossing in the north
of the Gaza Strip since 12 March, according to OCHA.
However, on 23 August, Sufa crossing in the southeast of the Strip opened as
an alternative entry point for humanitarian aid and food supplies only. The
people, however, remain stuck. The Gazans' only exit and entry point, Rafah
crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, remains closed for regular
movement although it did open on 10, 11 and 19 August for limited movement
only, OCHA adds.
As a result of the Israeli shelling of the south of Gaza and the
neighbourhoods of Ash Shoka and Al Tanour in particular, forty-seven
families (340 persons), including more than 100 children, remain temporarily
sheltered in a UNRWA school in Rafah. UNRWA is supporting these people with
food and water while UNICEF has provided baby hygiene kits and ten indoor
recreational kits.
UNICEF says that as a result of the ongoing violence, children in the Gaza
Strip are afraid to play outside which is having a psychosocial impact on
the children and their families.
UNICEF adds 70 percent of households in the Gaza Strip now rely on help to
meet their daily food needs. UNICEF states that they require US $ 22.7
million to meet the current humanitarian needs of Palestinian children and
their families. Of this sum, just under half of this has been pledged by
donors.
**
