Occupied Palestinian Territories - Humanitarian Update, February 2008

Summary of monthly Humanitarian Monitor report produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

KEY ISSUES OVERVIEW

Overview of developments in the Gaza Strip
On 27 February, violence significantly increased between the IDF and Palestinian militants. Between 27 February and 4 March, the IDF staged a large military operation into Gaza (named "Hot Winter"). During the operation, 120 Palestinians (including 34 children) were killed and 269 (at least 65 children) were injured. During the same period, three Israelis were killed (including two IDF soldiers) and 36 were injured (including 1 child, 16 other civilians and 19 IDF soldiers).

Shortages of goods remained in February due to the intensified closure of Gaza crossings. Most urgently needed goods were fuel, spare parts and basic necessities, i.e. shoes, fresh meats, dairy, produce. Earlier in the month, the Israeli government carried out its threat to further reduce the amount of electricity available to Gaza, resulting in cuts of eight hours per day everywhere in Gaza, except Rafah, throughout February. Fuel supply to the Gaza power station remained stable at 2.2 million litres per week, which enabled it to produce 55-60 MW out of a possible 80.

In February, Israel allowed around 70,000 litres of petrol and 700,000 litres of diesel per week to enter Gaza, 27% and 30% of Gaza's estimated requirements. Gaza's water authority, the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) was badly affected and was unable to treat sewage, lacking fuel to power sewage pumps during power cuts and spare parts for the treatment plant. An average of 40 - 60 million litres of sewage were piped into the Mediterranean Sea every day (20,000 cm raw; 20,000 - 40,000 cm partially treated).

Impact of IDF "Hot Winter" incursion on health care in Gaza Strip
During the incursion that began on 27 February, the Ministry of Health (MoH) declared a state of emergency in all MoH hospitals and elective surgical operations were suspended. All health personnel were required to report to work and some were redeployed to other facilities as needed. All ambulance drivers were on call. The MoH reported that 85 essential drug items, 52 medical supply items and 24 laboratory reagents items (chemicals and materials used for laboratory testing) were out of stock and urgently needed by MoH facilities. The existence of medical equipment - specially that needed for treating emergency cases - that failed to function, primarily due to lack of spare parts and maintenance, further restricted the MoH's ability to respond to the high number of casualties.

The MoH issued referral documents for 11 urgent casualties to be treated in Israeli hospitals. Three of them were issued permits and crossed Erez, while one was issued a permit on the same day that he died in Shifa hospital. Due to the delay in receiving permits, the other seven patients were evacuated to Egyptian hospitals through Rafah Border Crossing.

West Bank demolitions and displacement
At least 165 Palestinians, including more than 50 children, were displaced due to demolitions by the IDF in Tubas, Jericho, Qalqiliya, Ramallah and Jerusalem governorates. Some 82% (135) of the displaced were Bedouin (who are not registered refugees), living in Area C. The demolitions included 14 residential structures, and four tents and four animal barracks that the IDF forced Bedouin families to disassemble because the bulldozer was unable to reach them.

Demolition orders in Area C in Hebron area
Palestinian families in the Beqa Valley, located between the Israeli settlements of Kiryat Arba and Givat HaKharsina and home to between 1,700 and 2,000 Palestinians, received 14 demolition orders for "lack of building permit" on 26 December 2007.

Intensified movement restrictions in northern West Bank
The IDF imposed intensified movement restrictions in the northern West Bank in February. One 64-year-old Palestinian female died after being unable to reach medical care due to Israeli checkpoints. Between 5 and 25 February, the Israeli army restricted access by age through nine checkpoints leading to the central West Bank. Palestinian male residents from Nablus, Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarm districts, aged between 16 and 35 years, were prevented from travelling southwards, affecting over 15% of the total population of the northern West Bank.

Curfew: IDF response to stone-throwing at settler vehicles
In February 2008, the IDF imposed a total of 239 curfew hours on six localities (combined population of 48,000) in the West Bank. 'Azzun (Qalqiliya) with a population of more than 8,000 people, experienced 68% of the curfew hours (163), all imposed in the aftermath of stone throwing by Palestinians at Israeli vehicles traveling on Road 55 near the village. The longest curfew incident also took place in 'Azzun, when it was placed under curfew for 83 consecutive hours between 9 and 12 February.

REGIONAL OVERVIEW

West Bank & East Jerusalem

Closure of Charitable Societies / Confiscations in Hebron City - On 22 February, the IDF raided several establishments owned by the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron City and confiscated two buses, files, computers and other equipment. The establishments include a school under construction (Al Huda school), Al Huda market building, the society's warehouses and bakeries. The IDF also raided the administrative offices of the Muslim Youth Society's Boys school in Hebron City and confiscated computers, furniture, files and two buses.

Bethlehem - The Israeli Civil Administration issued on 1 January 2008 an order forcing the Palestinian General Petroleum Cooperation (PGPC) to begin collecting fuel for the Bethlehem district at the back-to-back area of Tarqumiya checkpoint. Prior to the order, fuel was received directly from Ashdod port at a back-to-back fuel transfer area near the Tunnels checkpoint. The January order increases the distance Bethlehem fuel trucks must travel to receive fuel and, thus, increases the cost of fuel transportation.

Gaza Strip

Carnation crops - On 14 February, Gaza's carnation farmers gathered at Sufa crossing to protest restrictions on the export of their flowers. Carnations are one of the two largest agricultural exports from Gaza, along with strawberries. They are cultivated by 72 farmers, employ 5,000 people and can generate up to $10,000,000 income. This year, the farmers expected to export at least 45 million flowers to Holland, but Israel only permitted the export of ten million in December and early January, and is not expected to permit further exports. The farmers depend on the sale of their flowers to pay wages, pay off debts and buy seedlings for next season. Unless the farmers receive financial assistance to plant for the next season, there will be no carnation crop next season and expertise developed by Gazan farmers over the past decade could eventually be lost. There is no domestic market for carnations in Gaza, so farmers, who are unable to export, sold their flowers as animal feed for $225 for 90,000 flowers.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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