State of Palestine Humanitarian Situation Report – UNICEF update

Highlights

16 people, including 4 children were killed on 30 July when an UNRWA school was shelled – the sixth incident in which an UNRWA collective shelter was hit.
An estimated 445,000 people are displaced with 245,000 seeking refuge in UNRWA schools and other public buildings. 127,500 are estimated to be children.
Humanitarian access remains almost impossible in many areas due to on-going fighting. There is little or no trust in humanitarian pauses after 17 people were killed when a crowded market was targeted during a pause.
Gaza's power plant has been destroyed after shelling on 29 July. The reduction in electricity supply is having an immediate impact on the public health situation, water and sanitation services.

Humanitarian Priorities

Protection of civilians must be ensured. Civilian infrastructure must be protected. IHL principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in attack must be respected.
Humanitarian space and access must improve for vital life-saving humanitarian interventions particularly medical evacuation, health, urgent WASH repairs and water provision.
The humanitarian response needs to scale up to meet the needs of the population, 25% of which are displaced with urgent needs.

Situation Overview

On Day 23 of the Gaza emergency, the Palestinian death toll has exceeded 1,360 and over 25% of the Gaza population is thought to be displaced. 245,000 IDPs are seeking refuge in 86 UNRWA collective shelters (mainly schools) and other public buildings (including schools); 200,000 are thought to be sheltering with neighbours and family.
The WASH and health situation is dire. Water and sanitation services in Gaza cannot function without power and Gaza's only power plant was shelled on 29 July. WASH services are currently operating at 20% capacity. The lack of water for both drinking and personal hygiene will result in widespread outbreaks of diarrhea if services do not resume.
Collective shelters are particularly at risk with up to 5000 people living in very close quarters. An average of 2,400 IDPs are taking refuge in each of the UNRWA schools, which normally have the capacity to accommodate only 500 people. These locations are a hotbed for the spread of disease.
Attacks against UNRWA schools hosting thousands of IDPs, hospitals and crowded public markets continue. There is a growing feeling among the population that nowhere is Gaza is immune from attack.
Of particular concern is the alarming number of incidents since the onset of the emergency in which multiple members of the same family have been killed. Up until the 29 July, at least 68 families have lost three or more family members in the same incident, for a total of 360 fatalities; 140 men, 73 women and 147 children. On 20 July, 25 members of a family were killed in a single airstrike on their home; 18 of those killed were children, aged 4 months to 14 years.
In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, protests and clashes have intensified with almost daily demonstrations and clashes between youths and police.

Summary Analysis of Programme response

UNICEF's emergency response in Gaza is focusing on supporting conflict-affected populations inside collective shelters and in host communities. In East Jerusalem and the West Bank, UNICEF's support will expand with a focus on families affected by recent violence and hostilities with hospital visits to patients arriving from Gaza and psychosocial support.

WASH

In partnership with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, UNICEF distributed 1500 adult hygiene kits, 1000 baby hygiene kits and 470 jerry cans. Procurement of additional supplies is focusing on 42 non-UNRWA collective shelters.
UNICEF is facilitating the work of the Coastal Municipal Water Utility (CMWU) with office space, coordination, repairs to water tankers and $100,000 for critical repairs to infrastructure across Gaza. Limited repairs could be carried out due to on-going fighting and lack of humanitarian access; six municipal workers were killed while on duty.
Three UNICEF communal water points (bladders) have been installed and 10 more are awaiting approval by Israeli authorities.
Vouchers for water, hygiene products and food were distributed to 2,300 vulnerable families whose homes have been destroyed through a joint WFP-UNICEF programme, building on WFP's existing food voucher system. The aim is to support up to 10,000 families, based on availability of funds.

Health & Nutrition

UNICEF provided essential vaccines (Penta, IPV and MMR), to Gaza. PCV was delayed by Palestinian Regulatory Authority and advocacy is underway to expedite the clearance process.
Essential drugs for children and medical consumables will arrive in the coming days.
Coordination with and technical advice to UNRWA and WFP on provision of fortified biscuits to displaced children aged 6 months to 2 years in on-going in collective shelters.
Efforts are underway with WHO, MOH and UNRWA to promote awareness raising on breastfeeding and need to minimize risks of communicable diseases.

Child Protection

Psychosocial teams working across the Gaza Strip have provided psychosocial support to 1,533 children.
Awareness raising about UXOs has been airing on radio stations daily to alert children and their families on the dangers posed by UX0s; up to 1 million people in Gaza are being reached on a regular basis.
Since 20 July, mass communication on child protection and psychosocial wellbeing has reached 140,000 families in Gaza. Messages include actions that parents can take to reduce the vulnerability of children to death and injury, to reduce distress and to prevent and respond to child abuse. There is also a free phone number to call for advice and support. Since 13 July, the Sawa Child Protection Helpline has been operating 24/7 and has answered 968 calls from people living in the most affected areas in Gaza, including 375 from children.
4,000 blankets have been distributed to collective shelters, soon to be followed by clothing for girls, boys and women.

Education & Adolescents

Psychosocial activities in six communal shelters are underway with 1,447 children and adolescents having participated as of 30 July. The distribution of Early Childhood Development Kits and 'School in a Box' for use by facilitators in public school shelters as part of specialized psychosocial support and Education is set to begin on 28 July. The formation of child/adolescent friendly areas in shelters is also in process.

Humanitarian leadership and coordination

Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) have been established in Gaza and Ramallah. The Gaza EOC meets daily to focus on the IDP response including monitoring visits to collective shelter and conflict affected communities. The EOC also acts as an advocacy platform to raise challenges related to humanitarian access. The EOC Secretariat in Ramallah supports Gaza to provide a coordinated approach to appeals by different Ministries. UNICEF leads the Child Protection Sub-Cluster and affiliated working groups for psychosocial and mental health (MHPSS), and for monitoring and reporting of grave violations against children (MRM). These groups have been merged to maximise coordination of child protection responses during the emergency. UNICEF continues to chair the WASH cluster and co-chair the Education cluster with Save the Children.

State of Palestine Humanitarian Situation Report – UNICEF update

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