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27-09-2006 ICRC News Gaza – ICRC Bulletin No. 8 / 2006 Latest report on ICRC activities in the field
The past week was marked by growing tension inside the Gaza Strip, as the economic situation continued to deteriorate and civil servant salaries remained unpaid. The people living in southern Gaza were particularly affected by the incursions and military operations carried out by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). In one village, thirteen houses were destroyed and one was damaged, land was levelled, trees were uprooted and the irrigation system was destroyed. At least seven Palestinians were killed and twelve injured in various encounters with the IDF. Rockets from inside the Gaza Strip continued to fall on Israeli territory, threatening civilian lives and property. In the past week, one Israeli civilian was injured and a school was damaged. For the first time since the end of August, the Rafah border crossing reopened for three days last week, allowing thousands of people to cross in both directions. The Sufa crossing point was open for humanitarian assistance and for merchants, and the main cargo transit point at Karni remained open for imports and exports. The Erez crossing point was open only for humanitarian cases and staff of international organizations. It was completely closed for two days last week after an attack on the checkpoint. Access to the sea for fishermen remains prohibited. During the past week, the ICRC distributed household relief kits to 42 families in the Rafah and Khan Younis areas whose houses had been destroyed. The kits contain tarpaulins, mattresses, blankets and other essential household items. Since late August, the ICRC has distributed such kits to 231 families. The ICRC also distributed ad hoc emergency assistance in the form of food parcels and hygiene kits to 67 families in the Gaza district. The Egyptian Red Crescent Society donated seven truckloads of food, including sugar, rice and flour, to the Ministry of Social Affairs in Gaza. Despite the military operations, the ICRC continued to facilitate the movement of Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances and the evacuation of patients requiring treatment outside the Gaza Strip. It provided support for PRCS emergency medical services, hospitals and primary health care centres and facilitated the delivery of essential medical supplies. The ICRC's family visit programme for Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons resumed on 13 August for families living in the Gaza Strip. From 18 to 21 September, 506 family members were able to visit 232 detainees in five different Israeli places of detention. The ICRC is maintaining contact with the relevant authorities and various Palestinian groups and has repeatedly expressed its desire to gain access to the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Both through these contacts and in its public statements, it has urged those holding Mr Shalit to treat him humanely, to respect his life and dignity and to allow him to communicate with his family.
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Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/ICRCBulletinNo0806a.pdf https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/ICRCBulletinNo0806f.pdf https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/ICRCBulletinNo0806r.pdf https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/ICRCBulletinNo0806s.pdf
Document Type: Arabic text, French text, Press Release, Russian text, Spanish text
Document Sources: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Subject: Agenda Item, Assistance, Gaza Strip, Prisoners and detainees, Social issues
Publication Date: 27/09/2006