Israel Must Allow Full Access For Aid And Supplies To Rehabilitate Gaza – UN Relief Chief
New York, Jan 27 2009 5:10PM
The top United Nations humanitarian official today called on Israel to immediately open up crossing points into Gaza for
full access to relief aid following its devastating three-week offensive against Hamas militants.
“Israel has a particular responsibility as the occupying power in this context, because of its control of Gaza’s borders
with Israel, to respect the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law,” Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told the Security Council in a report on his just-completed visit to Gaza, Israel and
the Palestinian Authority.
“It is therefore critical that new steps are taken immediately by the Israeli authorities to move to the sustained
re-opening of crossing points,” he said, stressing that improving the living conditions of Gaza’s 1.5 million people was
vital to avoid further despair and undermining the two-state diplomatic solution to the decades-`ld Middle East
conflict.
As he did frequently during the assault Israel launched on 27 December with the stated aim of ending Hamas rocket
attacks from Gaza, Mr. Holmes meted out blame to both sides in the conflict.
“The reckless and cynical use of civilian installations by Hamas, and the indiscriminate firing of rockets against
civilian populations, are clear violations of international humanitarian law,” he said. However, even taking into
account Israel’s security concern to protect its own civilian population, it is clear that there are maῪor questions to
be asked about the failure of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) to protect effectively civilians and humanitarian workers
in Gaza.
“Given the scale and nature of the damage and loss of life, there are also obvious concerns about a lack of wider
respect for international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality. There must
be accountability.”
Mr. Holmes cited the toll of the conflict: some 1,300 Palestinians killed, and more than 5,300 injured, 34 per cent of
them children, according to Palestinian Ministry of Health figures that have not been seriously challenged; 21,000 homes
destroyed or badly damaged; over 50,000 people displaced in UNRWA structures during the height of the fighting, with
tens of thousands more sheltering with families and friends.
“Widespread destruction was caused to Gaza’s economic and civil infrastructure,” he said. “I saw for example, an entire
industrial and residential area in East Jabalia which had been systematically bulldozed, an area of at least one square
kilometre; one of the best schools in Gaza reduced to rubble; and much of the Al Quds hospitῡl in Gaza City burned out.
But he stressed the critical need to look forward to bring urgent relief to Gaza after 18 months of closure, which
steadily weakened health, livelihoods and infrastructure even before the recent offensive.
“A massive humanitarian effort is now needed in areas such as food security, nutrition, water and sanitation, shelter,
essential repairs of power, roads and other basic infrastructure, rebuilding the health system, rubble removal,
unexploded ordnance and psychosocial care. As only one example, 1.3 million Gazans, almost 90 per cenῴ of the
population, now need food aid, he said, noting that he would launch a Flash Appeal on 2 February.
Much freer access for goods and staff is needed, Mr. Holmes, who also serves as Emergency Relief Coordinator, declared.
While Israel has allowed increased shipments of basic commodities with 120 truckloads getting in on good days, the
normal daily requirement is a minimum of 500. Many humanitarian workers continue to be refused regular entry.
If aid workers continue to face rigid limits on their movement and essential items such as construction materials,
pipes, electrical wires and transformers are kept out, the lives of the Gazan people cannot significantly improve, he
said.
The Under-Secretary-General also emphasized that Hamas must refrain from any interference with the movement or
distribution of humanitarian goods, noting that reconciliation between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which it
ousted from Gaza in 2007, would best facilitate relief and recovery activities.
“The people of Gaza have continued to exist in what is effectively a giant open-air prison, without normality or
dignity. Their lives have been put at risk recklessly by indiscriminate rocket attacks from their midst, which have also
killed, injured and traumatized Israeli civilians in Southern Israel. They have now endured a terrῩfying assault, and
must live with its devastating aftermath, he concluded.
“This is not sustainable or acceptable. It can only lead to more despair, suffering, death and destruction in the coming
years, and perhaps fatally undermine the two-state solution we all seek,” he added, referring to the Roadmap plan for
Israel and Palestine to live side by side in peace.
“It must therefore be in the long term interests of all parties, including Israel, to ease conditions for the people of
Gaza, by opening the crossings, facilitating the provision of assistance, and allowing them to live, work and hope
again.”
Addressing the same Council session before it adjourned for consultations, the head of the UN senior UN refugee official
in the region cited the apparent systematic destruction of schools, universities, residential buildings, factories,
shops and farms. “Every Gazan projects a sense of having stared death in the face,” UN Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner General Karen AbuZayd said.
“There is rage against the attackers for often failing top distinguish between military targets and civilians and there
is also resentment against the international community for having allowed first the siege and then the war to go on for
so long,” she added, calling for political action to end the occupation and peacefully resolῶe the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.
Meanwhile, the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) reported that all
crossings were closed today as a result of an Israeli soldier being killed.
For its part, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) is currently assessing damage and preparing a plan for reconstruction,
focusing on rubble removal, agriculture, water and sanitation, while the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is providing
essential educational equipment and materials to help restore a sense of normalcy for youngsters. In northern Gaza,
UNICEF tents are serving as temporary learning spaces for girls.
ends