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OPT: Field Update on Gaza from the Humanitarian Coordinator 30 Jan - 02 Feb 2009 as of 17:00

Attachments

Violent incidents continue to undermine the cease-fire which was unilaterally implemented by Israel on 18 January, and later the same day by Hamas and other Palestinian factions. On 31 January, a Grad rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed south of Ashkelon, with no injuries reported. On 1 February, militants fired a number of rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel, lightly wounding two soldiers and a civilian. Also on 1 February, Israeli forces exchanged fire with militants near the Kissufim crossing, though no casualties were reported. On the evening of 1 February, the Israeli air force struck a number of tunnels along the Gaza-Egyptian border and a building in the Khan Yunis area. On 2 February, militants fired mortars into Israel, and an Israeli air strike on a vehicle in Rafah killed one Palestinian and wounded three others.

Needs and damage assessments are still underway. The twenty-two days of conflict left over 1,300 Palestinians dead and over 5,300 injured, as well as three Israelis killed and 182 injured, and caused extensive damage to commercial enterprises, public infrastructure and agriculture. Hostilities are also expected to have had substantial emotional and psychological effects on the population. Prior to the conflict, the humanitarian situation was already serious following an 18-month blockade of the Gaza Strip, where 80 percent of the population was already dependent on aid from the United Nations. Organizations are currently focusing on re-establishing basic services, including water, health, food, cash assistance, education and psychosocial support. Work has already begun on conducting repairs to shelters, water and sanitation systems, health facilities, and other essential infrastructure.

The number of truckloads of aid permitted to enter Gaza daily by the Israeli authorities remains insufficient, and humanitarian organizations continue to face serious restrictions to enter Gaza. These constraints are impairing the ability of aid organizations to respond to the urgent needs of the population in a timely and effective manner.

On 2 February, the Gaza Flash Appeal was launched in Geneva. Amounting to $613 million, it is a strategic plan incorporating 106 NGO and 82 UN projects to respond to the emergency humanitarian and early recovery needs of the Gaza population. A copy of the appeal can be obtained at www.reliefweb.int or at www.ochaopt.org.

Protection of Civilians

Clarification: While correctly reported on 6 January that Israeli shells landed outside an UNRWA school in Jabalia, resulting in an initial estimate of 30 fatalities, the Situation Report of 7 January referred to 'the shelling of the UNRWA school in Jabalia.' The Humanitarian Coordinator would like to clarify that the shelling, and all of the fatalities, took place outside rather than inside the school. According to UNRWA, the number of fatalities is over 40, many of them among the 1,368 people who had taken refuge in the school.

Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, arrived on 2 February to conduct a visit to Gaza and southern Israel to ascertain first-hand the impact of the recent conflict on children.

Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) figures as of 31 January are 1,380 Palestinians dead, of whom 431 are children and 112 are women. This number does not include those who have died due to lack of access to regular health care (including obstetric care and treatment for chronic diseases). The number of injuries stands at 5,380, of whom 1,872 are children and 800 are women. ICRC is closely monitoring the issue of persons unaccounted for following the conflict. It has contacted the authorities both in Israel and in Gaza to obtain access to prisoners captured during the military operation.

Three Israelis have been killed and 183 injured since 27 December by rocket and mortar fire by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip. Eleven Israeli soldiers have been killed and 340 wounded.

Disclaimer

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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