Hostilities in Gaza and Israel - OCHA situation report (29 July 2014)

This report is produced by OCHA oPt in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 27 July (1500 hrs) to 28 July (1500 hrs). The next report will be issued on 29 July.

Highlights

Following a significant decline in hostilities overnight rocket firing from Gaza and Israeli strikes at targets in Gaza resumed today.
74 Palestinians, including 10 children and six women, are reported to have been killed, or their bodies identified, in the last 24 hours.
Approximately 180,000 persons, almost ten per cent of the population of Gaza, are now taking shelter in UNRWA schools, compounding overcrowding and raising health concerns.

Latest developments: 17:00. Ten Palestinian children were reportedly killed when a missile struck a park in Beach Camp. Mortars fired from Gaza killed four Israelis, reportedly soldiers and wounded several others in southern Israel.

22:00. Notices were distributed to Beit Hanoun and all areas in northern Gaza to the east of the three km "buffer zone", to evacuate to Gaza city. Evacuation notices were also distributed in eastern Gaza city earlier in the day.

24.00: It was also reported that evacuation notices were sent to Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

Situation Overview

The Gaza emergency entered its twenty-first day with a marked reduction in hostilities overnight, which coincided with the beginning of the Eid al Fitr holiday. The relative calm amid intensified international diplomatic efforts, including at the UN

Excludes individuals whose bodies were recovered during the pause but not yet identified. Data on fatalities and destruction of property is consolidated by the Protection and Shelter clusters based on preliminary information, and is subject to change based on further verifications.

Security Council, raised hopes for a more comprehensive ceasefire. However, rocket firing into Israel and Israeli strikes at targets in Gaza resumed throughout the morning and afternoon, intensifying in the evening.

Let me begin by reinforcing last night;s call of the Security Council, calling for an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire. As the world marks Eid al-Fitr, it is time for an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire. In the name of humanity, the violence must stop.

Remarks of Secretary-General at Press Encounter, 28 July 2014.

Hostilities and casualties

Since the last situation update, 46 persons have reportedly been killed and the bodies of 28 were retrieved or identified, including at least ten children and six women. During the 12-hour humanitarian pause on 26 July, over 100 bodies of Palestinians were reportedly retrieved from various areas within the Israeli declared three-km-wide "buffer-zone" along the fence with Israel, of which a total of 84 have now been identified, while others are still pending identification according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

From 7 July to 14.00 today, according to preliminary data collected by the Protection Cluster from various sources, Israeli air, naval and ground strikes in Gaza have killed at least 1,065 Palestinians. This includes at least 795 civilians (75 per cent of total fatalities); including 229 children and 118 women, 178 members of armed groups and 91 persons whose status is yet unknown. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 6,233 Palestinians, including 1,949 children and 1,169 women, had been injured as at 12.00 a.m. on 27 July.

With hundreds of Palestinians already killed in Gaza and horrifying levels of physical destruction, [the Secretary-General] urges those responsible to step back from provoking or inflicting yet more tragic violence on civilians there.

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the situation in Gaza, 28 July 2014

Indiscriminate firing by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza into southern and central Israel stopped overnight but resumed this morning, with most falling in open areas or intercepted by the Iron Dome system, resulting in no additional civilian fatalities during the reporting period. Since 8 July, three civilians in Israel have been killed, including one foreign national, and a few dozen directly injured by rockets or shrapnel. One Israeli soldier was killed in the reporting period, bringing to 44 the number of Israeli military fatalities since the beginning of the ground offensive on 17 July.

Displacement

Overall, during the reporting period approximately 6,000 more people have sought refuge at UNRWA schools operating as emergency shelters, which are now hosting 178,992 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 82 schools. That is over 10 per cent of the total Gazan population and more than triple those sheltered by UNRWA at the peak of the three-week long Israeli Operation "Cast Lead" in 2008/09. An average of 2,000 IDPs are taking refuge in each of the 82 UNRWA shelters, schools which normally have the capacity to accommodate only 500 people, and have not been designed as living spaces. Shelters are under great pressure, without adequate water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in place. In order to maintain minimum standards of health and hygiene, UNRWA is sending additional supplies of cleaning products to shelters as well as putting in place plans to prevent health epidemics, such as scabies and head lice. The end of the fasting month of Ramadan is also expected to place increased pressure on UNRWA;s food and water supplies.

It is estimated that another 10,000 IDPs are residing in 13 government schools and public buildings. This is in addition to the approximately 22,000 individuals who have been displaced, and are hosted by friends or relatives as destruction or damage to their homes has rendered them uninhabitable. It remains unknown how many people who have fled the conflict are staying with host families, but it is estimated that this number ranges in the tens of thousands.

Key humanitarian priorities

Protection of civilians• ensuring respect for the IHL principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in attack.

Humanitarian space: increased access for humanitarian workers to carry out life-saving activities, for example, through regular and meaningful humanitarian pauses or corridors for the evacuation of the injured. This is needed among other reasons, to complete search and rescue operations in several areas, and repair critical water and electricity infrastructure.

Scale up response to IDPs: additional shelters are needed to reduce overcrowding and accommodate new IDPs, alongside the replenishment of food, water, and NFI stocks. Assistance for IDPs living with host families also needs to be increased, particularly the provision of NFIs and water.

Update on Gaza Crossings:

Erez: On 28 July, the crossing was open as per its regular schedule, from 08:30-16:00 for pre-coordinated movement only.

Beit Hanoun (Arba-Arba): Closed until further notice but still accessible.

Kerem Shalom: The crossing was open on 28 July as per its regular operation hours. On 27 July, 94 truckloads of mostly food, medicine and NFIs entered Gaza through Kerem Shalom, in addition to diesel, fuel and cooking gas.

Rafah: Open today from 9:00-15:00 for medical evacuations. A minimum of 27 injured Palestinians exited Gaza through Rafah over the past two days.

Humanitarian needs and response

Protection

Needs

At least 194,000 children require direct and specialized psychosocial support (PSS).
Child protection and psychosocial support is urgently required to address issues of child abuse, exploitation and violence inside shelters and refuges.
Thousands of explosive remnants of war are left in civilian areas affected by conflict, causing a major threat to children.

Response

Protection Cluster members continue monitoring and investigating incidents to identify possible violations of international law, as well as consolidating information on civilian fatalities.
Since 8 July, emergency PSS teams and PRCS teams have been able to provide initial psychosocial support to 2,023 children across the Gaza Strip.
Since 18 July, the Youth Empowerment Center, in cooperation with UNRWA, has been providing PSS to IDPs in UNRWA shelters, reaching 446 children and 387 caregivers.
The Community Training Centre and Crisis Management (CTCCM) conducted activities with 275 children on 26 and 27 July in UNRWA shelters in Jabalia.
World Vision is providing PSS to children in hospitals and UNRWA shelters.
Since 18 July, Tamer has been conducting daily activities for children in their libraries.
Since 20 July, 100,000 child protection and PSS text messages have been sent to Jawal subscribers in Gaza.
Radio spots continue to alert children and their families to the dangers posed by explosive remnants of war, reaching up to one million people in Gaza.
UNMAS deployed an UXO clearance expert to Gaza on 28 July.
UNRWA is providing basic unexploded ordnance (UXO) awareness in shelters.

Gaps and Constraints

Children and families are in desperate need of core child protection support and information, yet ongoing hostilities continue to impede movement of child protection staff and emergency PSS teams, as well as access to basic services for children and their families.
Sawa Child Protection Help Line needs additional trained counsellors who can answer phone calls.
Due to the rapidly increasing need, the number of social workers and psychosocial support counsellors at hospitals is insufficient.
Displaced children and their families hosted with relatives remain largely unreached by child protection interventions.
Due to the precarious security environment and ongoing military operations, verification of information, in particular in regards to casualties, is difficult.

Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFI)

Needs

Significant movement from East Jabalia into Jabalia has been reported in response to evacuation orders delivered by the Israeli army to communities, which will necessitate an additional number of government schools being opened as shelters, as well as provision of food, water and NFIs to IDPs.
As of yesterday, 3,695 families (approximately 22,200 individuals) whose homes were totally destroyed or sustained major damage require emergency NFI kits. In the medium term, they will need cash assistance.
As reported yesterday, NFI emergency shelter repair interventions are needed for about 4235 families (25,400 individuals), whose homes sustained damage but are still inhabitable. 24,500 families (147,000 individuals), whose homes sustained minor damage also require basic NFI assistance.

Response

Approximately 179,000 people are being provided with shelter in 82 designated UNRWA schools across the Gaza Strip and an estimated 10,000 individuals are sheltered in ten government schools, informal refuges and other facilities. Approximately 22,200 are taking refuge with relatives or host families.
On 27 July UNRWA delivered 29 truckloads of NFIs to shelters.

Gaps and Constraints

Cash assistance of over US$ 18 million is needed to allow 3,695 families to cover rental fees and urgent expenses.
Emergency shelter kits are required for 2,600 families.
Additional shelters for IDPs are required to reduce overcrowding at UNRWA schools and accommodate the needs of new IDPs displaced from communities who have received evacuation orders in the last 24 hours.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Needs

Water supply to households affected due to low pumping capacity and restricted access to municipal water wells.
IDPs as well as communities disconnected from the municipal water supply need water tankering.
Urgent need for fuel, to run the water wells as water is pumped to the network only when there is electricity supply.

Response

UNRWA, supported by local municipalities, is providing water tankering to IDPs in UNRWA shelters in areas where water pumping is currently not possible due to damaged or inaccessible WASH infrastructure.
On 27 July, UNRWA sanitation workers removed an estimated 281 tons of solid waste from all areas of the Gaza Strip, except from Bureij camp which was inaccessible.
Ongoing assessment of water companies is taking place in order to up-scale water tankering of desalinated water to informal IDP shelters.

Gaps and constraints

The lack of protection during damage repair, operation and assessment remains the biggest constraint, impeding the immediate repair of water and waste water pipelines.
Most WASH facilities east of Salah ad Din road and in northern Gaza (buffer zone) have not been accessible for repairs, and are also likely to be inaccessible to water trucking due to the unsafe security situation.
Municipal technicians could not carry out repairs to the damaged pipelines in the eastern part of Jabalia, affecting the water supply to 2,000 residents.
UNRWA shelters are under great pressure as a result of overcrowding, without adequate WASH infrastructure in place to accommodate for the high number of IDPs.

Health and Nutrition

Needs

At least 22 health facilities which have been destroyed or sustained damage due to shelling require repair or reconstruction.
The health needs, including mental health needs for displaced families sheltering in UNRWA schools and other emergency shelters, need to be immediately addressed.
Psycho-tropic drugs for patients with mental illness, trauma and anxiety are in critically short supply.
Shifa hospital urgently needs neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, plastic and general surgeons, and orthopedic specialists, as well as 20 ICU beds, a digital C-ARM machine for orthopedic surgeries, three operation tables and a lighting system for the five operation rooms.

Response

Will be covered in tomorrow;s Situation Report.

Gaps and constraints

Only two of six Community Mental Health Centers are functioning (in Rafah and Zwaydeh).
On 27 July, only 13 out of 21 UNRWA health centres were open due to lack of security, serving a total of 13,807 people.
Shortage of medical equipment, skilled medical teams and drugs and disposables means that complex surgeries for vascular, neurological and spine cord injuries are being referred outside of Gaza. However, access through Rafah and Erez crossings is constrained.
Lack of adequate protection of health facilities and personnel is impeding emergency assistance to sick and injured.
Access to maternity care is also restricted for an estimated 45,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip, of whom approximately 5,000 have been displaced.
The military incursion restricts access to healthcare for wounded and for patients with acute and chronic illness.
The health and environmental condition in shelters is a major concern, especially lack of water and hygiene materials. Municipal garbage collection has almost stopped, which increases public health risks.

Food Security

Needs

Approximately 215,000 IDPs are in need of emergency food assistance
Immediate emergency funds to cover massively increasing food needs of IDPs are required.
Humanitarian access to allow for provision of food and other emergency assistance to the civilian population is urgently needed and should be guaranteed throughout the conflict.

Response

WFP, in cooperation with UNRWA, is providing ready-to-eat emergency food rations to all IDPs sheltered in UNRWA or government schools on a daily basis.
WFP continues to provide food assistance to patients and hospital staff.
Food Security Sector partners are delivering complementary food distributions to IDPs at UNRWA and government schools. Other partners are reaching approximately 22,000 displaced persons in private shelters and host families.
UNRWA;s regular food distribution will be extended to also include Saturday and the Eid holiday, where distribution centres would normally be closed. On 27 July, eight out of 12 distribution centres remained open and operational.

Gaps and Constraints

IDPs residing in public schools and private shelters require food and other assistance. Immediate emergency funding to address the food needs of the increasing IDP population and for fodder provision for 3,000 herders.
Some food stores are located in areas which require ;prior coordination; due to the Israeli-imposed `no-go; zone impeding the ability to provide much needed food assistance.
UNRWA;s regular food distribution is being put under increased pressure by the closure of UNRWA distribution centres in Deir El Baleh, Beit Hanoun and eastern Khan Younis due to heightened insecurity.

IEducation

Needs

In the last 24 hours, three additional UNRWA schools were affected by shelling. The total of damaged schools since the start of the emergency now stands at 133, including 49 government schools and 84 UNRWA schools, in need of repair.

Response

NTR

Gaps & Constraints

Access restrictions impede the ability to assess impact of hostilities and carry out repairs to damaged school infrastructure.

General Coordination

The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues its daily meetings, focusing primarily on the coordination of the IDP response and challenges related to humanitarian space. Some EOC members also carried out monitoring visits to hospitals and government school shelters. Most EOC members used the humanitarian pause to pre-position supplies, reach previously inaccessible areas and conduct rapid assessments and monitoring visits. The EOC Secretariat met in Ramallah to discuss a coordinated approach to appeals by different Ministries. OCHA discussed the preparation of the HCT Gaza Crisis Appeal with MOPAD. The Launching of the humanitarian appeal is scheduled for 1 August, in Ramallah

OCHA, UNRWA, Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PCRS) and Internal Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continue the coordination of opening up additional government schools for IDP shelters.

Funding

A number of bilateral contributions have already been received from donors who have provided funding for urgent needs in the most critical sectors. Based on latest cluster/sector analysis, it is estimated that US $69 million is now needed for immediate assistance in Gaza, excluding UNRWA;s requirements. Some clusters have also made a latest estimate so far of up to US $220 million that is needed for medium term interventions once the security situation permits. The Humanitarian Country Team has begun development of a dedicated Gaza Crisis Appeal which will be finalized by 1 August to address urgent humanitarian needs resulting from the conflict. The appeal once fmalized will supersede earlier HCT estimates.

UNRWA has issued its own emergency flash appeal which was revised up to US $115 million this week. The amount requested will help UNRWA respond to the urgent needs of the currently, 159,000 IDPs taking shelter in its facilities, while replenishing emergency supplies and preparing for vital interventions necessary after a cessation of military activities.

The 2014 Strategic Response Plan (SRP) for the oPt has received US$ 170 million (43 per cent) out of a total request of US$ 390 million Nearly 90 per cent of 1.9 million vulnerable people targeted in the SRP are in Gaza. Gaza-specific projects have received 32 per cent of their requested funding.

The Emergency Response Fund (ERF) is an additional mechanism available to fund interventions in Gaza through rapid and flexible support to affected civilian populations. The ERF has begun processing project applications in regards to the Gaza emergency. Thus far, two ACF project proposals, (totaling US$ 368,624) to distribute NFI and water storage tanks to 1,475 households in Gaza, are being processed. Three additional proposals were approved today: support for the emergency needs of neonatal units in Gaza hospitals by procurement of essential drugs and disposables submitted by Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), the provision of food packages and hygiene kits to IDPs hosted in Shelters in Rafah and Khan Yunis by Dan Church Aid; and for the management of ERW to reduce the risk posed to civilians by UNMASt. A number of donors have come forward with expressions of interest or pledges for the ERF including Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as Italy, which is a new donor set to come on board. Further funding for the ERF is still being sought.

UN humanitarian agencies, in cooperation with NGO partners are fmalizing an application to the CERF Rapid Response window covering urgent needs in food assistance, psychosocial support, WASH, rubble removal and critical drugs.

Background to the crisis

On 7 July 2014, the Israeli army launched a large military operation in the Gaza Strip, codenamed "Protective Edge", with the stated objective of stopping Palestinian rocket firing at southern Israel and destroying the military infrastructure of Hamas and other armed groups.

This development marked the collapse of the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire understanding reached between Israel and Hamas in November 2012, which has been gradually undermined since December 2013. The latest escalation round started in early June, characterized by an intensification of Israeli airstrikes and rockets launched from Gaza at southern Israel. Tensions further increased following the abduction and killing of three Israeli youths in the southern West Bank, on 12 June, which the Israeli government attributed to Hamas. Overall, in the period leading up to the start of the current operation a total of 15 Palestinians, including one civilian, were killed, and another 58 others, mostly civilians, injured, as a result of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip; seven Israelis, five of whom were civilians, were injured due to rocket fire.

The current crisis comes against a backdrop of heightened vulnerability and instability. Unemployment increased dramatically since mid-2013, following a halt of the illegal tunnel trade, exacerbating the impact of the Israeli blockade in place since June 2007. Additionally, former de facto government employees, including the security forces, have not been paid salaries regularly since August 2013 and no salaries at all since April 2014. Delivery of basic services has been also undermined due to an ongoing energy crisis, involving power outages of 12 hours per day.

For further information, please contact:

Katleen Maes, Head of the humanitarian Emergency Operations Center in Gaza, nnaes@un.org, +972 59 291 1047

Yehezkel Lein, Head of Analysis, Communications and Protection Unit, OCHA oPt, lein@un.org, +972 54 331 1809

For media enquiries, please contact:

Hayat Abu-Saleh, Communications and Information Analyst, OCHA oPt, abusaleh@un.org, +972 (0) 54 3311816 For more information, please visit www.ochaopt.org

Endnote

¹Data on fatalities and destruction of property is consolidated by the Protection and Shelter clusters based on preliminary information, and is subject to change based on further verifications.

Hostilities in Gaza and Israel – OCHA situation report (29 July 2014)

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Hostilities in Gaza and Israel – OCHA situation report (29 July 2014)

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