This report is produced by OCHA oPt in collaboration with humanitarian partners. This report covers the period from 26 August (08:00 hrs) to 27 August (08:00 hrs). The next report will be issued on 28 August.
- The Palestinian fatality toll has reached 2,104 of whom 1,462 have been identified as civilians, including 495 children, according to preliminary assessments.
- Tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have today left emergency shelters. However, over 100,000 people, whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged, will need longer-term shelter solutions.
- An open-ended ceasefire brokered by the Egyptian government and agreed by the armed groups in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority and Israel entered into force yesterday at 19:00.
- Despite extensive repairs, electricity outages of 18 hours a day continue in most areas across Gaza, disrupting service provision.
[…] A brighter future for Gaza and for Israel depends on a sustainable ceasefire. It is up to the parties to live up to this responsibility… Any peace effort that does not tackle the root causes of the crisis will do little more than set the stage for the next cycle of violence. Gaza must be brought back under one legitimate Palestinian Government adhering to the PLO commitments; the blockade of Gaza must end; Israel's legitimate security concerns must be addressed… The Secretary-General urgently calls on both parties to return to meaningful negotiations towards a final status agreement that addresses all core issues and ends the 47-year occupation. Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, 26 August |
Erez: Open for movement during normal working hours (08:00-16:00). Belt Hanoun (Arba-Arba): Operational. Kerem Shalom: Open as per its regular operating hours (08:00-16:00). Rafah: Open from 09:00 to 15:00. |
- At least 373,000 children require direct and specialized psychosocial support (PSS). Children are showing symptoms of increasing distress, including bed wetting, clinging to parents and nightmares.
- Specifically, there is a need to increase the number of structured activities and specialized PSS support, as opposed to PSS first aid, for children and families identified as requiring a referral to such services.
- Up to 1,500 orphaned children will need sustained support from the child protection and welfare sectors.
- Thousands of explosive remnants of war (ERW) infest civilian areas affected by conflict, causing a major threat, especially to children, farmers, humanitarian workers and IDPs returning home. UN premises have also been contaminated by ERW.
- Protection Cluster members are investigating incidents to identify possible violations of international law, as well as consolidating information on civilian fatalities.
- CPWG partners are providing PSS interventions in shelters and in host families
- PRCS continues to provide PSS interventions through UNWRA and governmental schools/shelters.
- UNICEF has reached 750,000 people in Gaza with life-saving and child protection SMS text messages, targeting the most vulnerable communities in Gaza.
- The Sawa Child Protection Helpline has thus far provided counselling to a total of 2,812 callers.
- Since 8 July, UNRWA Community Mental Health Programme (CMHP) has conducted 16,084 PSS sessions for parents and recreational activities for children. CMHP also coordinated and supervised the implementation of sessions by other partners. Numbers of reached beneficiaries are currently being updated.
- CFTA has organized open days in the Khan Yunis and Tomoh has conducted five open days in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Radwan of Gaza city; both are providing PSS support through structured group activities to the communities of Ad Darraj, Northern Remal, Jabalia El Balad, Deir Al Balah, and Khan Yunis.
- ERW awareness campaign for families in UNRWA shelters continues. Radio and TV ERW awareness messages are broadcasted several times a day to spread awareness about the danger posed by unexploded ordnance.
- UNMAS is undertaking risk assessments in five governorates, and mainly for UNRWA installations. Clearance operations are being conducted by EOD police.
- Major electricity outages continue to hamper communication with staff and partners on the ground. Most child protection services remain closed.
- Core child protection interventions to protect children from violence, abuse and exploitation are limited and systems to detect, prevent and respond to cases of child abuse in shelters and host communities remain weak.
- It is estimated that 18,080 families (consisting of approximately 108,500 individuals) whose homes were totally destroyed or heavily damaged are in need of emergency NFI kits. In the medium term, they will require cash assistance to cover rental fees and basic household items.
- Emergency shelter repair items are needed for about 5,800 families (34,800 individuals), whose homes were damaged but are still inhabitable. Another 38,000 families (an estimated 228,000 individuals), whose homes sustained minor damage need basic NFI assistance such as nylon and plastic sheets.
- As of yesterday, 287,034 people were provided with shelter in 85 designated UNRWA schools across the Gaza Strip and 31,251 individuals were sheltered in seven government shelters supported by UNRWA. In addition, 13,810 people were being provided with shelter in another 18 government schools and 140,895 IDPs registered with MoSA were hosted with relatives and reached by various shelter partners.
- Shelter and WASH partners have provided household NFIs to 57,572 families and hygiene NFIs to 96,303 families since the beginning of the emergency. Standard household NFI kits include two mattresses and four blankets. Sometimes kitchen sets are also included; IDPs residing in shelter do not normally receive kitchen sets since there is no available capacity to cook. Such items are normally distributed to either IDPs with hosting families or those residing in damaged, but still inhabitable houses. Standard hygiene NFI kits usually include soap, shampoos, toothpaste, tooth brushes, towels, tissues paper and basic cleaning supplies.
- Through its partners in Gaza, UNFPA delivered 2,000 hygiene/dignity kits to displaced women.
- Cash assistance of more than US$ 74 million is needed for 18,080 families to cover rental fees and urgent expenses.
- Emergency shelter kits are needed for 22,256 displaced families.
- Shelter NFIs such as plastic sheets and tarpaulin are needed for 38,000 families (approximately 228.000 individuals) whose homes sustained minor damage.
- Health facilities damaged and/or closed due to insecurity, as well as continuing problems of access of staff to clinics, have hindered the delivery of health services. Four Ministry of Health (MoH) primary health clinics which were totally destroyed in the past month are located in areas of great need and alternatives are urgently required for residents (Ash Shuja'iyeh, Juhor al Dik, Khuza'a and Khan Yunis). Overall, four of the 32 hospitals and thirty of the 97 primary health care centres in the Gaza Strip remain closed today according to the Ministry of Health.
- The presence of thousands of UXO in urban areas represents a public health hazard, especially for children.
- The health situation in shelters varies depending on the location of shelter, crowdedness and management. Disease surveillance systems are active in UNRWA-operated shelters and medical teams have been designated to all, providing medicines and referrals.
- The pediatric hospital An Nasser reports 180 per cent bed occupancy rate because of the closure of the damaged Ad Durra Pediatric Hospital which has raised Ministry of Health concerns about possible communicable disease outbreak due to the crowded conditions.
- A number of hospital generators have broken down or need spare parts and maintenance due to overload caused by electricity shortages and prolonged use.
- Continuity of care, quality follow up of casualty cases that have been discharged and rehabilitation of patients, especially of amputees, at the community level needs active follow-up.
- 22 Health Cluster partners reported on more than 170 activities which are ongoing, fully implemented or planned.
- A total of US$10 8 million in drugs, medical disposables, fuel and other items have been donated for the health sector in Gaza since 7 July, with the majority of donations destined for the Ministry of Health. Drug donations have maintained drug stocks without further deterioration (at 28 per cent zero stock) but without allowing real gains to chronically low drug levels.
- The reactivation of the Health Cluster has been endorsed by the Interagency Standing Committee in light of the emergency in Gaza and need for higher visibility of the health situation and coordinated health strategies through the UN cluster system and with other partners.
- Health assessments have been delayed due to the continuing lack of security for data collectors as well as health staff in outlying clinics and mobile clinics.
- IDPs are in need of food and other immediate assistance.
- The entire population of Gaza has been affected by the conflict and almost all need food and other assistance to recover.
- Over 100,000 people whose homes were destroyed or damaged beyond repair will need food and other assistance for a longer term.
- Families relying on agricultural-related livelihoods need food, other immediate assistance and support in re-establishing their sources of income. An early recovery to re-establish their livelihoods and production capacity is required.
- Restock with animal vaccination against FMD, Brucellosis, Chlamydia and Sheep pox are needed for 64,000 head of small ruminants and 20,000 head of cattle.
- Livestock sector also requires fodders, water and other veterinary care.
- Humanitarian access to allow for provision of food and other emergency assistance to the civilian population should be consistently assured.
- The regular food assistance to more than one million UNRWA and WFP core beneficiaries is ongoing.
- In addition, at least 506,000 out of around 730,000 people have been reached by the one-time exceptional food distribution to affected families who are not receiving regular food assistance implemented by UNRWA, WFP and the Ministry of Social Affairs.
- Food assistance for those people who have their houses totally or severely damaged is ongoing. A new project is targeting additional 18,000 households who will receive food baskets.
- WFP, in cooperation with UNRWA, is providing ready-to-eat emergency food rations to IDPs in UNRWA and government shelters on a daily basis.
- WFP continues to provide food assistance to IDPs hosted with relatives and to patients and hospital staff.
- The emergency voucher for hosted families is targeting 23,000 households.
- Food Security Sector (FSS) partners are delivering complementary food distributions to IDPs at UNRWA and government shelters.
- There is a lack of a proper mechanism to identify the most vulnerable groups relying on agricultural-related livelihoods and being heavily affected by the conflict.
- Electricity shortages are affecting the storage capacity of fresh food for both shops and households.
- The price of some food items has gone up, including fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs, due to the large damage sustained to farms and agricultural lands, among other reasons.
- Immediate emergency funds to cover massively increasing food needs of IDPs and returnees are required.
- 220 schools (141 government, 75 UNRWA schools and four private schools) are in need of repair, including 22 schools which were completely destroyed.
- UNRWA and government schools are not ready for the new school year which was scheduled to start last Sunday.
- The current ceasefire must last so that unexploded ordnance clearance, damage assessments and repair work to damaged educational facilities, as well as preparation for the new school year, can take place.
- UNRWA, in coordination with MoEHE and partners, planned to implement a three-phase back-to-school plan in war torn Gaza this week, to help students and teachers start to transition into a new school year. The plan includes PSS interventions, and implementing a new technology, UNRWA's satellite TV education programs and self-learning material for all children.
- The Education Cluster is also working with service providers to coordinate a special package for returning school students, with a focus on PSS support and recreational activities.
- Unrestricted movement of humanitarian cargo from the West Bank and Israel to the Gaza Strip is required.
- Safe and secure humanitarian space to ensure transportation and distribution within the Gaza Strip of relief supplies is needed.
- On 25 August, the Logistics Cluster facilitated the transportation of 510 pallets of food, shelter and WASH supplies into the Gaza Strip.
- On the 26 August, the Logistics Cluster facilitated the transportation of over 22 pallets of food items for distribution within the Gaza Strip.
- Logistics Cluster has provided the humanitarian community three dedicated warehouses and one refrigerated warehouse inside the Gaza Strip.
- Logistics Cluster has also provided five staging areas available in Jerusalem, Hebron, Ashqelon, Ramallah and Nablus for consolidation, palletisation, loading and dispatch.
- Logistics Cluster facilitates coordination of transport services.
- Cargo transported via the Betunia crossing from the West Bank into Israel is experiencing significant delays due to limited capacity, security equipment, variable cargo prioritisation procedures and limited opening hours.
- Cargo transported via the Tarqumia crossing from the West Bank into Israel is experiencing delays due to increasing number of trucks and complex security procedures.
- The Logistics Cluster is requesting a list of sector cargo priorities for the Gaza humanitarian response in case all cargo requests cannot be delivered in a timely manner due to the security crossing process.
Background to the crisis On 7 July 2014, the Israeli army launched a large military operation in the Gaza Strip, codenamed "Protective Edge", with the stated objective of stopping Palestinian rocket firing at southern Israel and destroying the military infrastructure of Hamas and other armed groups. This development marked the collapse of the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire understanding reached between Israel and Hamas in November 2012, which has been gradually undermined since December 2013. The latest escalation round started in early June, characterized by an intensification of Israeli airstrikes and rockets launched from Gaza at southern Israel. Tensions further increased following the abduction and killing of three Israeli youths in the southern West Bank, on 12 June, which the Israeli government attributed to Hamas. Overall, in the period leading up to the start of the current operation a total of 15 Palestinians, including one civilian, were killed, and another 58 others, mostly civilians, injured, as a result of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip; seven Israelis, five of whom were civilians, were injured due to rocket fire. The current crisis comes against a backdrop of heightened vulnerability and instability. Unemployment increased dramatically since mid-2013, following a halt of the illegal tunnel trade, exacerbating the impact of the Israeli blockade in place since June 2007. Additionally, former de facto government employees, including the security forces, have not been paid salaries regularly since August 2013 and no salaries at all since April 2014. Delivery of basic services has been also undermined due to an ongoing energy crisis, involving power outages of 12 hours per day. |
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/OchaGazaSitRpt_270814.pdf
Document Type: Situation Report, Update
Document Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Subject: Access and movement, Armed conflict, Casualties, Children, Closures/Curfews/Blockades, Extrajudicial killings, Food, Gaza Strip, Health, Human rights and international humanitarian law, Humanitarian relief, Internally displaced persons, Living conditions, Poverty, Protection, Refugees and displaced persons, Security issues, Shelter, Water, Women
Publication Date: 27/08/2014