Highlights
- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Gaza on 14th October. Speaking to the press he said: "I am committed to doing everything possible in my power to support political efforts to finally end the nearly half century of occupation, ensure Israel's legitimate security needs and establish peace once and for all.
- The International Conference in Support of the Reconstruction of Gaza was held in Cairo, Egypt, 12 October. US$5.4 billion were pledged by donors at the conference.
- #gaza4children social media campaign was launched 12 October and includes audio-visual materials, images, stories, infographics, and a microsite, inviting partners, media and the general public to make space for children in Gaza to express their needs, and help UNICEF ensure that their needs are met.
- 10 Community Based Family Centres commenced operation on 11 September to provide child protection services.
- The ceasefire continues to hold. A few security incidents were reported this week.
- The first truck of cement and construction material has arrived in Gaza facilitated by an agreement between Israel, the Palestine Government and the United Nations.
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16 October 2014 506 children killed (Protection Cluster, 24 September 2014) 2,157 total deaths (Protection Cluster, 24 September 2014) 54,000 children homeless (OCHA, 4 September 2014) 3,106 children injured (Protection Cluster, 1 September 2014) 1,500 children orphaned (Protection Cluster, 1 September 2014) 89 entire families killed (OCHA, 25 August 2014) |
Situation Overview
- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Gaza on 14th October and met amongst others with school children and UN staff. During his visit he said: "no amount of Security Council sessions, reports or briefings could have prepared me for what I witnessed today," "I met so many of the beautiful children of Gaza. More than 500 were killed during the conflict — many more were wounded." "What have they done wrong?" he asked. "Being born in Gaza is not a crime." "The build-destroy, build-destroy cycle must be broken. The mindless pattern of blockade, rockets and destruction must stop." "I am committed to doing everything possible in my power to support political efforts to finally end the nearly half century of occupation, ensure Israel's legitimate security needs and establish peace once and for all."
- The International Conference in Support of the Reconstruction of Gaza was held in Cairo, Egypt, 12 October. The conference was attended by envoys from nearly 90 countries and international organizations. Yoka Brandt, UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director and Maria Calivis, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa were among participants at the conference. A total of US$ 5.4 billion was pledged in aid to Gaza by donors. Part of this aid will be channeled through the Palestinian Authority, in support of its National Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan for Gaza, with a planned budget of US$ 4 billion, and part will provide funding to the UN Support Plan for the Transformation of the Gaza Strip which has a budget of some US$ 2.1 billion. The latter includes UNICEF's support to Gaza's children in the aftermath of the war. The urgency of the reconstruction was highlighted at the conference as well as the need for a permanent solution for the families of Gaza. The UN Secretary General highlighted that whole neighbourhoods have been flattened and public infrastructure demolished, including schools, hospitals and clinics destroyed or damaged. He said that "the needs are massive and time is short".
- It is urgent to prepare for the impact of winter. Children are vulnerable in face of cold weather and threats of floods. UNICEF is scaling up its response but still has a funding gap of $33.6 million.
- Throughout the conflict, the suffering of children in Gaza attracted global media interest, but it has since waned and moved elsewhere. UNICEF's #gaza4children campaign aims to refocus attention, making the case that investment in Gaza's children is the most strategic and sustainable option, contributing towards long-term productivity, stability, and the wellbeing of children. #gaza4children draws on the voices and views of children and adolescents themselves, providing them with a platform to articulate their vision of the future. It will also allow UNICEF and partners to demonstrate the value and results of the interventions they support in education, health, protection, water and sanitation and other sectors — and to mobilize necessary funding and support.
- The security incidents this week included IDF firing warning shots at farmers north east of Khan Yunis and shooting and injuring a Palestinian approaching the border fence. Unexploded ordnance detonated east of Jabalia and caused injuries and an Improvised explosive device exploded in front of a house in Shuje'iyah. Warning shots were also fired at Palestinian boats by the Israeli Navy north west of Gaza City and west of Beit Lahia.
- The number of Internally Displaced People staying in Collective Shelters in UNRWA schools has reduced to 42,506
- The first truck of cement and construction material has arrived in Gaza, facilitated by the new agreement between the Palestinian Authority, Israel and the United Nations allowing for construction material to enter the Gaza Strip. Under this agreement, the United Nations will monitoring of the use of the material.
Summary Analysis of Programme response
UNICEF's emergency scaled-up response in Gaza is targeting children who attend public schools, under five year old children and mothers, and vulnerable households in the most affected communities. UNICEF is currently focusing on supporting affected children and families in shelters, host families, and the communities that have been most severely hit. To respond to the urgent needs of the population, UNICEF has brought in significant additional international staff for programme response and cluster coordination using established internal "surge" arrangements and standby partners.
Education
- Repairs to 26 schools that were damaged during the recent conflict started this week. UNICEF has been asked by the Ministry of Education (MoEHE) to repair additional schools and is now committed to repairing an additional 18 schools.
- Some 3,437 adolescents benefitted from recreational and stress relief activities this week, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 50,019 adolescents since schools started 14 September. The adolescents were reached in 130 schools all over Gaza Strip. The activities are provided by MA'AN, TAMER and Al Nayzak in coordination with MoEHE.
Water Sanitation and Hygiene
- 100 polyethylene tanks (1M3) to store drinking water were installed to serve as distribution points for 70,947 people in the Middle Area. The beneficiaries are IDPs in informal shelters, population from the eastern border whose houses have been partly or completely destroyed, unemployed farmers and fishers.
- Ministry of Social Affairs has completed the distribution of 2,000 baby hygiene kits in North Gaza and distribution of 2,995 adult hygiene kits in all Gaza Strip. Total number of beneficiaries are 7,990. Previously 1,478 adult and 1,000 baby hygiene kits had been delivered benefitting 3,956 people.
- MA'AN has completed its deliveries of water for domestic use to 1,206 families. Some 5,800 cubic meters of water were delivered in total.
Child Protection
- 10 Community Based Family Centres commenced operation on 11 September to provide child protection services. The services include case management, violence and abuse detection and response, psychosocial assessment and referral, unexploded ordnance (UXO) education and child protection education for caregivers.
- 3,750 teachers' manuals and resource materials have been distributed to government schools in Gaza to conduct curriculum based education on UXO for children in grades 1 to 6.
- The local NGO PCDCR has reached 1,920 children (985 girls and 935 boys) since mid September with psychosocial support with funding from UNICEF.
- This week, 1,009 adolescents were reached by UNICEF partners MA'AN, TAMER and Al Nayzak, bringing the total number of adolescents and children benefitting from basic recreational activities, including stress relief and self-expression activities, to 24,580. The activities took place in 19 government shelters, 20 community-based organizations and 7 Libraries with the aim of helping them better cope with their experiences of the conflict.
- The Child Protection Working Group led by UNICEF has completed a Child Protection Rapid Assessment, through which 193 community representatives were interviewed in 60 sites across the Gaza Strip. The assessment included Bedouin communities, IDPs living with host families, IDPs living in UNRWA shelters and persons who were not displaced, have been able to return home and live in reliable accommodation. The assessment will produce an overview of the key child protection risks and vulnerabilities and community capacities at this stage of the emergency response and identify the most urgent child protection needs and priority responses. The assessment findings are expected to be released by the end of October.
Child Health & Nutrition
- UNICEF is funding Ministry of Health (MoH) Community Health Workers to conduct outreach activities in collective shelters. This week, 1,244 new beneficiaries participated in awareness sessions on communicable diseases in collective shelters and with host families. To date, 1,710 men, 7,614 women and 3,408 children have participated in the sessions.
- Breastfeeding awareness-raising was conducted for 1,244 mothers in the reporting period, as a result 10,503 mothers and their children in shelters and with host families have benefitted in total. This outreach is also carried out o by UNICEF-funded MoH Community Health Workers.
- UNICEF has through three shipments delivered in total 105.8 tons of essential drugs, vaccines and medical supplies to Gaza.
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Humanitarian leadership and coordination
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Funding
Note 1: The total amount received for the Gaza response amounts to $7,952,092, which includes $6,258,054 against the Gaza Crisis appeal, and $1,694,038 carried forward from prior years and reallocated to the SoP office. Out of this total amount, 67% has already been committed or spent.
Note 2: The table does not include the Emergency Programme Fund loan of $4 million received from UNICEF HQ.
Next SitRep: 23 October 2014
SóIrún Maria Olafsdóttir, M&E and Gender Specialist, UNICEF, SoP, Jerusalem, Phone: +972 (0)2 584 0410,
mail: smolafsdottir@unicef.org, http://www.unicef.org/oPt/,
https://www.facebook.com/unicefstateofpalestine
Document symbol: UNICEFSitRpt_161014
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/UNICEFSitRpt_161014.pdf
Document Type: Situation Report, Update
Document Sources: United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF)
Subject: Armed conflict, Assistance, Ceasefire, Children, Closure of institutions, Education and culture, Gaza Strip, Health, Humanitarian relief, Incidents, Internally displaced persons, Living conditions, Population, Protection, Refugees and displaced persons, Security issues, Shelter, Water
Publication Date: 16/10/2014
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/UNICEFSitRpt_161014.pdf
Document Type: Situation Report, Update
Document Sources: United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF)
Subject: Armed conflict, Assistance, Ceasefire, Children, Closure of institutions, Education and culture, Gaza Strip, Health, Humanitarian relief, Incidents, Internally displaced persons, Living conditions, Population, Protection, Refugees and displaced persons, Security issues, Shelter, Water
Publication Date: 16/10/2014