Occupied Palestinian Territories - Humanitarian Update, November 2008

Summary of monthly Humanitarian Monitor report produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

NOVEMBER OVERVIEW

Following an IDF incursion into Gaza in search of tunnels, and the firing of rockets and mortars by Palestinian militants, Israel fully closed the Gaza crossings on 5 November. This intensified to an unprecedented level the blockade on the Gaza Strip that was imposed in June 2007. These developments directly contribute to reducing people's lives to a daily struggle of obtaining clean running water, fuel for cooking, and fresh foods to maintain their families. The prolonged duration of the blockade is causing a deep crisis of human dignity, along with the de-development and collapse of basic services and infrastructure, in one of the most densely populated regions in the world.

The severe closure imposed since 5 November halted the delivery of basic supplies, fuel and humanitarian assistance, to the Gaza Strip. Gaza crossings were opened only on six days following the 5 November closure, constraining imports to limited amounts of food, medical supplies, industrial fuel, animal feed and a few other basic items. While any easing of the closure is a welcome measure, the constant disruption of the openings is significantly affecting not only the provision of basic social services, such as electricity and water, but also humanitarian operations. Staff and assistance from international NGOs were prevented from entering Gaza throughout the month. Additionally, the intensified closure forced UNRWA to suspend food distribution for five days during the month, along with its cash assistance programme, as a result of restrictions on cash shipments to Gaza.

Due to the lack of fuel, the Gaza Power Plant (GPP) was forced to shut down for half of the month, resulting in prolonged power outages throughout the Gaza Strip, reaching up to 16 hours per day in Gaza City. Intermittent electricity supply, combined with the lack of fuel for backup generators and poor maintenance due to lack of spare parts, left 80% of Gaza's water wells functioning only partially, while the remaining were non-functional. Gaza City was the most affected with 50% of the population having access to water only several hours once a week. Following the interruption of normal supply, the reserves of chlorine, used to disinfect water, dropped substantially.

The intermittent supply of electricity has forced Gaza's hospitals to rely on back-up generators, rendering them increasingly vulnerable, given that generators are designed for short periods and are more likely to fail with prolonged use. Moreover, power cuts have resulted in damaged or malfunctioning of medical equipment aggravated by difficulties in maintenance that stem from the lack of spare parts.

By the end of the month, five out of six mills in Gaza had stopped grinding, as flour stocks were depleted. In addition, over 30 out of 47 bread bakeries throughout Gaza were forced to close down, due to a lack of cooking gas, while functioning bakeries started implementing a rationing system. As a result of the severe shortage of cooking gas (used for heating) and animal feed, hatcheries owners were forced to kill over 400,000 baby chicks. This affected not only the availability and affordability of poultry, but contributed to the erosion of livelihoods.

In commenting on the Gaza blockade, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Maxwell Gaylard, noted that "essential spare parts for operating and maintaining the power plant, water and sanitation utilities must be allowed into Gaza, together with humanitarian assistance, as a matter of urgency. The immediate and long term health and welfare of the population depend on it."

In the West Bank, the Israeli authorities continued to demolish Palestinian-owned structures, including houses, in November. Demolitions in Area C and East Jerusalem resulted in the displacement of 68 Palestinians, including 41 children. Also, medical workers and patients continued to face access problems entering East Jerusalem following tightened restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities in July 2008.

Farmers in the Gaza Strip and the Jordan Valley struggled in November to cope with the effect of floods that took place in late October. Damage caused by the floods further jeopardized the livelihoods of poor farmers, who were already attempting to deal with multiple economic and environmental shocks that occurred since the second half of 2007.

In the southern West Bank, tensions escalated in Hebron City after the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled in mid-November that Israeli settlers must leave the Al Rajabi House settlement in the Israeli-controlled area of the city (H2). In the week following the ruling, thousands of settler supporters entered the city to protest the ruling. Settlers threw stones at a Palestinian building, desecrated tombstones at an Islamic cemetery and scribbled offensive words on the walls and door of a local mosque.

ISSUES IN FOCUS

Palestinian Female Prisoners in Israeli Jails and Detention Centres

On 2 November 2008, an Israeli military court rejected an appeal concerning two Palestinian girls from Bethlehem, who have been held under administrative detention (i.e. detention without charge or trial) since June 2008. Their current administrative detention order ends on 3 January 2009, but these orders can be renewed indefinitely. The girls, who were 16 at the time of their arrest, are the only female minors among the some 650 Palestinians currently being held in administrative detention. They are also among 64 female prisoners, 15 of whom are mothers, currently detained by Israel.

At least 700 Palestinian women have been incarcerated in Israeli jails since September 2000. Human rights organisations report that female prisoners suffer a range of physical and psychological ill-treatment during the arrest through incarceration process. Indeed, there are no female doctors provided by the Israeli Prison Service to meet the specific physical and mental health needs of women: gynaecological care is offered only to women in need of hospitalisation and the transfer of pregnant women to the hospital is usually carried out under strict supervision, with hands and feet shackled with metal chains. Palestinian women also face greater difficulty than their male counterparts in reintegrating into society upon release. Some are alienated by their families for having violated perceived gender roles, while others are overly protected. Some mothers face difficulties rebuilding relationships with their children, due, in part, to inadequate and insufficient contact allowed with their children while imprisoned.

Gaza pilgrims affected by Gaza/Ramallah rift

Gaza pilgrims wanting to complete their Haj to Mecca were caught in the ongoing Gaza/Ramallah political rift during November. Two separate lists of Gaza pilgrims were prepared by the PA in Ramallah (3,200 pilgrims) and the Hamas authorities in Gaza (2,200 pilgrims). Those registered with Ramallah reportedly have Saudi visas ready (with their passports awaiting at the Egyptian side of the crossing) while pilgrims registered with the Hamas authorities do not. On 27 November, the Palestinian Ministry of Waqf and Religious Affairs in the West Bank announced that Gaza pilgrims could leave through Rafah crossing on the next day. The Hamas authorities reportedly denied knowledge of the opening of the crossing for this purpose and urged Saudi Arabia to grant Gaza pilgrims registered on the Hamas authorities list visas in order to be able to travel on time. By the end of the month, no pilgrim had left. According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, some of the pilgrims who made their way towards Rafah were physically assaulted by Hamas security forces at checkpoints. Others decided not to attempt the journey amidst the political rift.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

© Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA 2003.

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