Occupied Palestinian Territories - Humanitarian Update, March 2008

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

KEY ISSUES OVERVIEW

Significant increase in child casualties
The total number of Palestinian child fatalities (28) in March due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the highest since November 2006, when 30 children were killed, the majority of whom were also in the Gaza Strip. March 2008 also recorded the highest monthly number of child injuries in the Gaza Strip since January 2005. In Israel, four Israeli children were killed and one injured in an attack by a Palestinian on a Jewish seminary (Yeshiva) in West Jerusalem. No other Israeli child deaths or injuries took place in the oPt. No Israeli children were killed in 2007 and two were killed in 2006.

Increase in West Bank demolitions
IDF demolitions in the West Bank continued in March, at the same level recorded last month. Out of 42 demolished structures, 20 were residential and inhabited, 14 were animal barracks, two for storage purposes and six uninhabited and/or under-construction. 135 Palestinians were displaced, including 95 children.

Increased restrictions on humanitarian access
UN operations were significantly affected by tightened Israeli movement restrictions on UN vehicles in March. More UN staff hours were lost due to access delays in March 2008 than in all of 2007. In particular, access into Jerusalem for UN staff entering from the south was extremely difficult. Almost daily, UN vehicles were delayed and/or turned back by Israeli soldiers demanding to search the vehicles, contrary to internationally recognized rules for UN access, which prohibit searches of UN vehicles.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also imposed new restrictions that limit the ability of international staff to obtain the "yellow card", which confirms their status as staff of an international organisation. This is required to be assured of an exit from Gaza. As a result, consultants and other international staff on short term contracts are reluctant to go to Gaza and their access has effectively been reduced. UN agencies are very concerned by these developments and the decreased respect they represent for humanitarian access for UN agencies.

Gaza
(a) Violence - In the first two days of March, heavy clashes continued between Palestinian militants and the IDF during the IDF military incursion named 'Hot Winter'. A series of Israeli army air and ground operations took place throughout the Gaza Strip, but focused particularly on eastern parts of Jabalia and North East Gaza City.

(b) Fuel shortages - The scarcity of fuel emerged as the most serious impediment to all aspects of life in Gaza. Though fuel for commercial and humanitarian use has been restricted to 70,000 litres of gasoline and 700,000 litres of diesel per week since January, the impact of the shortages became evident in March. Drivers began to queue from 2am in the hope of buying fuel, and prices on the black market rose to 10 shekels per litre for diesel (US$5.17 at fuel stations) and 20-25 shekels for gasoline (US$5.99 at fuel stations).

(c) Decline in fishing - The Gaza Strip fishing catch in March 2008 declined by 98% compared to March 2007. This huge reduction is due to the shortage of fuel in the Gaza Strip, restrictions imposed on Palestinian fisher folk, and the lack of spare parts, which prevented hundreds of fisher folk from operating their fishing vessels. If the situation continues, the livelihood of 3,000 fisher persons will be threatened due to their loss of income.

Curfew hours increase in West Bank
Curfew hours imposed by the IDF are on the rise, primarily due to a sharp increase in curfews imposed in response to stone throwing incidents on Israeli vehicles. Moreover, while the number of curfew incidents has remained rather stable, the number of curfew hours imposed during each incident has increased from eight hours in December, nine in January, 21 in February and finally to 24 hours per curfew incident in March.

Drought and frost in the oPt
The oPt is currently facing a serious drought, due to the lack of winter rain. Cumulative rainfall from November 2007 to February 2008 was only 55% of the expected amount in the southern West Bank and rain guages in Hebron and Jericho have marked 0 mm for the month of March 2008. The most severely affected are herders and Bedouin in the southern governorates and the Jordan Valley.

REGIONAL OVERVIEW

West Bank & East Jerusalem

Al-'Aqaba village at risk of IDF demolition - Al-'Aqaba is a village of approximately 250 Palestinians situated in Area C on the edge of the Jordan Valley, about 7 km east of Tubas city. The village consists of 45 structures, 35 of which have received Israeli-issued stop construction orders due to lack of permit. Ten years ago, the Village Council applied for a master plan, which would enable the village to obtain permits for construction, but the application is still pending. The most recent stop construction order was received on 13 March 2008.

Ongoing negotiations over public employees' salaries - March witnessed a series of negotiations between unions of the Public Sector Employees (UPSE), teachers and healthcare workers, and the Palestinian government, over the payment of the Palestinian Authority (PA) employees' salary arrears. Since July 2007, an additional amount of 1,000 NIS (or about US$260) of salary arrears is paid monthly to PA staff with their full monthly salaries. Employees believe this amount to be insufficient. In March, PA staff threatened to carry out a series of strikes in demand for a pay raise that would include paying the full amount of salary arrears and compensating for the high cost of living.

Update on closure of Charitable Societies & confiscations in Hebron City - On 6 March, the IDF raided a warehouse (1,150 m2) used to store food, stationery and clothes for orphanages owned and operated by the Islamic Charitable Society and confiscated its belongings. On 24 March, an orphanage for 200 boys was inspected by the IDF, and, on 29 March, an orphanage for 180 girls was inspected. The IDF verbally informed both orphanages that they would be closed on 1 April. Following the 26 February IDF raid of the Muslim Youth Association offices, a number of businesses located in the administration office building were ordered to remove their belongings and close their businesses by 1 April.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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