UNITED NATIONS

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

occupied Palestinian territory

oPt Humanitarian Overview: The Gaza

Strip

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

The Humanitarian Impact of Two

years of Blockade and the Israeli
offensive on Gaza

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

Gaza Strip Profile

Population
1.43 million (~1 million refugees)

Crowded
3,881 persons per sq km

Young
54% of the population under
the age of 18

Poor
80% poverty rate/79% aid
dependant
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

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UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Access to Gaza

occupied Palestinian territory

The Gaza Strip

Strip:2009
August
2005
21 Settlements ~9,000 Israeli
settlers
PEOPLE
CROSSINGCROSSING
RAFAH / DAY
WORKERS
AND TRADERS
EREZ / DAY
KARNI: MONTHLY TRUCKLOADS

Access and
Movement Data
Erez Crossing
Point
Karni Crossing
Point
Rafah Crossing
Point
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

The Israeli Blockade on Gaza Since

June 2007

Air/sea movement banned

All exports banned
Import of most construction,
raw materials & spare parts
banned
Imports restricted to food
and hygiene; limited
cash/fuel
Medical referrals restricted
Buffer zones

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

The Impact of the Blockade

95% of private business
closed
More than 120,000 jobs lost
Hospital functioning
impeded
Electricity reduced and
intermittent
Deterioration of water
supply & sanitation services

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

Deterioration of water and sanitation

services
10,000 people with no access to piped water
Repair and upgrade of treatment plants impeded
80 million liters of untreated and partially treated
sewage discharged into the environment daily
Increased health risks due to polluted sea water
Sewage infiltrates into the aquifer: only 5-10% of
the extracted water is safe

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

The devastation of livelihoods

5,000 farmers and 10,000 agricultural
laborers affected by export ban
Local market saturated with previously
exported items
Buffer Zone expanded to 300 metres
from the fence
Fishing zone reduce to 3 nautical miles
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

The devastation of livelihoods

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

The Gaza War: 27 Dec 2008-18

Jan 2009
1.4 million civilians
unprotected:

Massive military aerial and

ground bombardment
Densely populated small area
No safe space no bomb
shelters
No alarm/warning system
No place to flee all borders
sealed

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

People affected during Cast Lead

Offensive
1,383 Palestinians fatalities,
including 350 children, identified by
OCHA.
5,303 Palestinian injuries (MoH)
Civilian fatalities disputed: 73-83%
(Palestinian HR orgs); 25-39% (IDF)
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

Gaza War Damages:

Damage Assessment
JRC, 28 Jan 2009

Public
infrastructure
Agricultural
land

Commerce/Industry
Residential
buildings
UN property

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

Tunnels

All together

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

Inability to reconstruct homes

Ban on construction materials prevents
reconstruction and repairs of homes
Cast Lead housing impact:
3,500 destroyed
2,900 severely damaged
53,000 with minor damages

20,000 displaced people forced to live in

alternative accommodation
Pre- Cast Lead housing needs: 7,500 units
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The continued Blockade:

A protracted human dignity crisis
occupied Palestinian territory

Further Erosion of livelihoods

Further decline in the quality of all services
Continued denial of right to leave Gaza, move to
WB
Limited capacity to address needs resulting of
Cast Lead
Increasing aid dependence
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010

UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory

The way forward

Ending the Blockade GoI must:
Lift restrictions on all Gaza crossings
Allow free access to agricultural and fishing areas
Allow access for goods and people between Gaza
and the West Bank
Protection, food, water, healthcare, and shelter are
basic human needs, not bargaining chips. (John
Holmes)

HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW

February 2010