The United Nations has warned of a dramatic deterioration in the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip after Israel temporarily banned the entry of gas and fuel through the Kerem Shalom crossing until Sunday.
Israel will continue to allow vital food and medicine to pass through the coastal enclave’s main commercial crossing on a case-by-case basis.
Israel will continue to allow vital food and medicine to pass through the coastal enclave’s main commercial crossing on a case-by-case basis.
Those restrictions, along with last week ban on commercial goods, are compounded by Egypt’s closure this week of its Rafah crossing into Gaza.
Israel also halved Gaza fishermen’s zone to three nautical miles.
The result? Gaza’s 2,000,000 people have been cut off and left landlocked, with no other options for the flow of goods.
The steps come as the UN and Egypt push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and as Israel prepares to go to war – if necessary – to prevent Hamas and the Islamic Jihad from launching rockets and incendiary devices into southern Israel.
Palestinian fighters in Gaza fired a barrage of 200 rockets and mortars into southern Israel over the weekend.
The UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, Jamie McGoldrick, visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday and called for urgent action.
Israel also halved Gaza fishermen’s zone to three nautical miles.
The result? Gaza’s 2,000,000 people have been cut off and left landlocked, with no other options for the flow of goods.
The steps come as the UN and Egypt push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and as Israel prepares to go to war – if necessary – to prevent Hamas and the Islamic Jihad from launching rockets and incendiary devices into southern Israel.
Palestinian fighters in Gaza fired a barrage of 200 rockets and mortars into southern Israel over the weekend.
The UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, Jamie McGoldrick, visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday and called for urgent action.
“The situation in Gaza is extremely precarious. I am deeply concerned about the imposition of further restrictions at Kerem Shalom, which is the lifeline for Gaza’s population.
“Should they continue, these additional restrictions risk triggering a dramatic deterioration in an already fragile situation and desperate humanitarian conditions, particularly for the health sector,” McGoldrick warned.
The fuel ban is particularly problematic, he noted, because that diesel powers privately-owned generators used by Gaza residents to make up for the lack of electricity provided by regular turbines. Gaza residents only receive electricity four hours a day.
The UN said that as a result, more than 220 health, water and sanitation facilities depend “on donor-funded emergency fuel to power back-up generators to deliver essential services.”
Emergency fuel supplies will run out in about a week, the UN warned.
“Should they continue, these additional restrictions risk triggering a dramatic deterioration in an already fragile situation and desperate humanitarian conditions, particularly for the health sector,” McGoldrick warned.
The fuel ban is particularly problematic, he noted, because that diesel powers privately-owned generators used by Gaza residents to make up for the lack of electricity provided by regular turbines. Gaza residents only receive electricity four hours a day.
The UN said that as a result, more than 220 health, water and sanitation facilities depend “on donor-funded emergency fuel to power back-up generators to deliver essential services.”
Emergency fuel supplies will run out in about a week, the UN warned.
No comments:
Post a Comment