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SITREP 26 June – 9 July 2009
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CONTENTS
1. MAIN ISSUES
2. LOGISTICS COORDINATION
3. UPDATE ON COGAT
4. PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVING DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN RELIEF TO GAZA
1. MAIN ISSUES
•• Oxfam reports that there were 468 truckloads of goods entering Gaza this week compared to 474 the previous week. This included previously excluded items such as live cattle, agricultural fertilizer and cement for emergency work. However this represents 35 % of the pre-blockade figures and remains far from the AMA targets.
• The clearance process remains opaque. Urgently needed early recovery materials remain highly restricted and construction materials remain prohibited. Furthermore there is an urgent need for agricultural materials to repair the damage caused by operation cast lead. According to UN figures, upto 60 percent of Gaza’s agricultural infrastructure was damaged and needs urgent repair. This is affecting the food security of 13,000 families who depend on this sector and seriously hampers the local production of food in the Gaza Strip. 75 truckloads of commercial agricultural materials have been able to enter Gaza from 28 June to 4 July however to date FAO have been unable to gain clearance for their humanitarian agricultural projects.
• The logistics cluster is working on an updated evaluation of the capacity and upgrade requirements of Karem Shalom.
2. LOGISTICS COORDINATION
• Jerusalem–Gaza Logistics Cluster: Since 25 January the Logistics Cluster has delivered 6271 pallets of cargo (approx. 6305 MT) of humanitarian cargo to the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom crossing, on behalf of 28 cluster participants.
3. UPDATE ON COORDINATION WITH COGAT
• The Logistics Cluster Support Cell received clearance for wheelchairs on 6 June (which had been pending approval since 14 April). A shipment for Anera hygiene and kitchen kits including jerry-cans was cleared in one day.
• The Logistics Cluster continues to request clearance of the following items currently listed as ‘under review’ in the document ‘Clearance Status of Humanitarian Cargo’
– Blood bag heat seals – Delayed since 30 June 2009
– Dry foodstuffs – Delayed since 02 April 2009
– Wooden beams, window glass and cement for shelter reconstruction – Delayed since 01 April 2009
– Radio antennas – Delayed since 23 April 2009
– Fish ponds and fish fodder – Delayed since early June 2009 (approved in writing by PA MOA)
– Empty cardboard boxes for storing food – Delayed since mid June 2009
• Further details on the clearance status of these items are documented at the following link:
o WFP sent 2650 Mt of food into Gaza between 26 June 2009 and 8 July 2009 date. WFP has an average waiting time of ZERO days/hours for clearance of its food basket items to enter Gaza. Coordination is made 24 hours in advance for the following day.
4. PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN RELIEF TO GAZA STRIP
According to the Israeli MFA Website:
“Humanitarian aid includes food, medicines and medical equipment, tools and materials for essential humanitarian infrastructures, and a certain amount of diesel fuel. Cement, sand, gravel and steel are not considered to be humanitarian aid.”
Defence Minister Ehud Barak declared to the press on 31 May that only “sensitive material and construction material are not transferred in” to the Gaza Strip.
While there has been movement of “food, medicine, medical equipment and diesel fuel” and consistency on the Israeli Authorities restriction on delivery of “construction material” to the Gaza Strip there has been little or no movement on access for “tools and materials for essential humanitarian infrastructures”. Furthermore a shipment of shelter reconstruction materials essential for the implementation of shelter projects was rejected for delivery.
It should be noted that the continued rejection of access for essential reconstruction material limits the implementation of the humanitarian reconstruction programme in the Gaza Strip and significantly impacts the disbursement of donor funding for the recovery phase.
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The humanitarian community continues to request the following in order to improve access of humanitarian cargo for conflict-affected populations in the Gaza Strip:
• The 22 March 2009 Cabinet decision on lifting of restrictions on food items is enacted into legislation and consistently implemented.
• Lifting of the prohibition on delivery of materials essential to the implementation of humanitarian programmes (early recovery; shelter; agriculture)
• Rafah crossing is open daily for humanitarian cargo in addition to transfer of medical goods and personnel
• Lighting is installed at the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom crossing
• Construction and use of an additional staging area /loading bay at the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing
• Containers are permitted for use at Karni and Kerem Shalom crossings
• A system for double-stacking of pallets is implemented at crossings
Logistics Cluster, 9 JULY 2009
