Gaza Situation Report (Issue No. 41) - UNRWA update

GAZA SITUATION REPORT 41

18 August 2014/ Issue No. 41

HIGHLIGHTS

Unless renewed, the 5 days ceasefire will expire today 18 August at midnight local time. A resumption of hostilities might be possible with serious consequences for ongoing relief efforts and recovery planning. With the temporary ceasefire coming to an end, the number of IDPs sheltered in UNRWA schools climbed to 237,659. 81 shelters remain open. The total number of displaced UNRWA is supporting in its own and in non-UNRWA shelters is almost 266,000. The priority for the Agency continues to be the supply of food, water, and non food items, and protection to all displaced in UNRWA schools.
UNRWA is participating in the OCHA led Multicluster Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA) in the Gaza Strip. The Agency is also working on a response plan for Gaza which will address current and medium term needs. This plan will supersede the Joint Flash Appeal and will project activities by UNRWA for the next 24 months.
Yesterday, UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krähenbühl continued to meet with UNRWA staff working around the clock across the Gaza Strip. He also met with family members of the 11 personnel UNRWA lost over the course of the past month. The Commissioner General also visited shelters and UNRWA schools that were damaged over the course of the conflict. Together with James Rawley, the Humanitarian Coordinator, he briefed the press on the ongoing exceptional food distribution at an UNRWA distribution center in Gaza City. With efforts to reach a sustainable ceasefire ongoing in Cairo, Pierre Krähenbühl warned(link is external): “You cannot just return to the pre-existing conditions under the blockade.” In an interview with the New York Times(link is external), Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza, Robert Turner, spoke about displacement and the housing crisis in the Gaza Strip. “We’ll get lots of money to rebuild homes we can’t rebuild, but we won’t get the money to help these people help themselves,” he said. “You cannot do widespread shelter construction unless construction material is free and available in the local market. Which it’s not, and is it ever going to be?”
The UNRWA health centers remain open for refugees and non-refugees. Since 9 July, UNRWA health centers registered a total of 435,840 patient visits, and this despite the closure of a large number of health centers and at times only one third of the health staff able to report to work. Dedicated health teams are now working in all 81 UNRWA shelters to improve surveillance on nine health issues of concern to prevent outbreaks of diseases. The health teams also provide patients suffering from diseases, both communicable and non-communicable, with medicine supplied by UNRWA. Under the supervision of the health teams, lice shampoos were supplied to all shelters. As a result of the improved health care in the shelters, the number of displaced visiting UNRWA health centers on 17 August decreased by 28 per cent compared to 16 August. The health teams are also working with the water & hygiene teams in the shelters who ensure that IDPs are aware of and take responsibility for a healthy living environment.
UNRWA continued the exceptional food distribution to all families not currently receiving regular food aid from the Agency or WFP. This distribution presents a massive challenge to all UNRWA staff involved, ranging from logistics to security. Up to date, after only six distribution days, 44 per cent of all 143,000 eligible Palestinian families have received their flour and rice rations through 12 food distribution centers.
UNRWA estimates that 108 installations have been damaged since 8 July 2014. Out of the 108 installations, 59 have been inspected by UNMAS, with 56 installations cleared for UNRWA engineers to conduct assessments. In addition to the 59 installations, a further 6 undamaged UNRWA installations were checked for unexploded ordnance. To ensure staff safety and security, an UNRWA expert was deployed from Amman to Gaza to train all field staff – mainly engineers and relief workers – on explosive remnants of war. The trainer will also support UNDP and OCHA staff in Gaza.
Since the last update, the Protection Cluster has not recorded any additional fatalities. According to UN information, the cumulative death toll among Palestinians stands at 1975. 1417 are believed to be civilians, including 459 children and 238 women.

GENERAL

Past 24 hours: Calm prevailed in Gaza, with people anxiously awaiting the announcement of a sustainable ceasefire. There have been statements from both sides about resumption of hostilities if a new truce was not reached.

An Israeli official reportedly stated yesterday Israel would respond with force should there be rockets fired from Israel. “If fire is not renewed and no agreement is reached,” the unnamed official said, “Israel will see what can be done in terms of humanitarian aid for the residents of the Gaza Strip, whom we have nothing against.” Earlier yesterday, Yuval Steinitz, the Israeli Strategic and Intelligence Affairs Minister, said that Israel could not give up on the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and also Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed Israel’s security interest must be met in order to reach an agreement.

On Friday, the European Union Foreign Affairs Council had stated that “the situation in the Gaza Strip has been unsustainable for many years and a return to the status quo prior to the latest conflict is not an option. A durable ceasefire must lead to a fundamental improvement in the living conditions for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip through the lifting of the Gaza closure regime, and it must end the threat to Israel posed by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza as demonstrated by rocket attacks and tunnel construction. All terrorist groups in Gaza must disarm.” The European Union further reiterated its readiness to contribute to a comprehensive solution.

UNRWA RESPONSE

UNRWA, in cooperation with partners and donors, trucked 667 cubic meters of potable water to the shelters. This brings the potable water supply to approximately 2.6 litres per person per day. This amount excludes bottled water delivered to the shelters in areas where the capacity of water suppliers is still insufficient. In addition to drinking water, 753 cubic meters of non-potable water were trucked by UNRWA, municipalities and contractors to the shelters.
In the framework of UNRWA’s hygiene and water campaign, UNRWA hired university students and graduates under the Job Creation Programme to work with the displaced to promote appropriate hygiene practices. IDP hygiene committees have been formed in all shelters, involving some 1,137 individuals. 7,000 individuals, including 145 children, participated in the cleaning days at the schools all over the Gaza Strip. So far, a total of 12,740 IDPs have attended 295 orientation sessions on hygiene and sanitation issues. The sessions included teaching children appropriate hygiene practices, as well as sessions focusing on how to make best use of water and cleaning materials, on how to keep the classrooms and the schools clean, and how to best store food items.
In partnership with WFP and the Ministry of Social Affairs, UNRWA continued the exceptional food distribution to all families not currently receiving regular food aid from the two agencies. Since 11 August 63,078 of the eligible 143,000 families received a 30kg ration of flour and a 10kg ration of rice. A total of 11,041 rations were distributed yesterday in all 12 UNRWA distribution centres. The below table provides a visual update on the remarkable progress achieved to date. On five of six distribution days, the total number of rations distributed exceeded the maximum anticipated capacity.
UNRWA delivered 7 truckloads of non food items as well as 46 truckloads of food to shelters in cooperation with WFP.
UNRWA’s regular food distribution to a total caseload of over 830,000 beneficiaries continued. Food rations were provided to 3,808 families through all 12 UNRWA distribution centers.
14 of 21 health centers were operating. With the ceasefire holding, 94 per cent of the staff reported to work, and 19,685 patients were served, including psychosocial counseling.
Since the beginning of the crisis, UNRWA’s Community Mental Health Programme has served over 122,000 parents and engaged over 136,000 children in recreational activities. 92 counselors reported to work in all UNRWA shelters. Further, UNRWA partner organizations provided support to over 20,500 adults and over 103,000 children.
Of UNRWA’s Infrastructure and Camp Improvement Department, 288 staff, representing 85 per cent of the permanent sanitation staff, reported to work. Together with 402 Palestinians employed under the Job Creation Programme (JCP), they removed a total of 329 tonnes of waste from all Gaza camps. UNRWA maintenance staff continue to undertake critical repair work in UNRWA installations.

SUMMARY OF MAJOR INCIDENTS

Nothing to report.

UNRWA INSTALLATIONS

Data on damage to UNRWA installations is based on preliminary information and subject to change based on further verification. UNRWA estimates that 108 installations have been damaged since 8 July 2014.

FUNDING NEEDS

More information on the revised flash appeal can be found here.

CROSSINGS

The Rafah crossing was open.
The Erez crossing was open for internationals and humanitarian cases.
The Kerem Shalom crossing was open.

Gaza Situation Report (Issue No. 41) – UNRWA update

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Gaza Situation Report (Issue No. 41) – UNRWA update

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