OPT/Gaza-News

Headlines
The two 18 January unilateral ceasefires held, despite various exchanges of fire. Eleven rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel, causing no casualties. Israeli airstrikes targeted several tunnels and two motorcycles, wounding 12 Palestinians.
Over the week 2 Palestinian deaths and a total of 18 injuries were reported. An explosive device targeting Israeli soldiers resulted in one Israeli death and three injuries, Israeli media reported.
It is estimated that 37% of Gaza's population, more than 500,000 people, were displaced at some time during the hostilities. OCHA estimates that tens of thousands of Gazans remain homeless, with most staying with relatives or other host families.
Amnesty International issued a report (27 January) claiming Israeli use of flechette shells in populated areas. Flechettes are 4cm metal darts with four fins at the rear. Each flechette shell has between 5,000 to 8,000 flechette darts. When the shells explode in the air, flechettes are scattered over a wide area—about 300m wide by 100m long.
Two weeks after the ceasefire, NGOs continue having difficulties to access Gaza to carry out humanitarian work. OCHA reports that humanitarian personnel are able to enter Gaza through Erez crossing only after receiving prior clearance by the Israeli authorities. Many NGOs did not receive a response from the Israeli authorities regarding their applications, while others were requested to provide additional information regarding their specific mandates, activities, funding sources, etc. Others have been denied entry altogether. A key problem has been inconsistency in the process; some staff members are informed that they have been approved, only to be denied entry when they reach Erez. In other cases, staff receive conflicting information from Israeli authorities regarding regulations that must be met before entry is allowed. (See link below to OCHA Weekly update on the protection of civilians 21-27 Jan.)
Access for humanitarian supplies is also still severely restricted. Israel told the humanitarian community last week that it will only admit a maximum of 120 trucks daily (90 trucks with humanitarian goods and 30 commercial trucks) - not on Friday afternoons and Saturdays - to pass through Kerem Shalom, the only crossing which is now open to trucks. The Karni crossing to the north has the capacity to import 750 truckloads a day. The crossing has been closed to trucks since 15 June 2007.
Approval of goods for entry does not appear to follow a clear or consistent pattern. USAID reports that trucks with items like macaroni or flour that were initially cleared, were refused entry at Kerem Shalom. Oxfam International conservatively estimates that Israel is denying Gaza more than 50 percent of its normal minimum daily requirements, when the needs are even greater today than before the conflict. (641 trucks entered Gaza for humanitarian purposes last week compared to a weekly average of 1320 trucks which entered Gaza before the start of the Israeli blockade in June 2007).
Shops and markets continue to offer limited food supplies at prices which have doubled or tripled since before 27 December. This makes food extremely difficult to obtain due to the shortage of currency.
Most health facilities have resumed operations similar to those before the Israeli ‘Operation Cast Lead’. Large volumes of medical supplies have been received and cover almost all drug and pharmaceutical needs. Full stocks of drugs are in place in most health facilities, a few items are missing in others. Immunization and other public health programs have resumed. Referral abroad of patients requiring specialized care has resumed but at a lower level than before the crisis. Psychotropic drugs however are still lacking and urgently needed.
A large need remains for spare parts to repair and maintain hospital and clinic equipment ranging from dialysis machines, neonatal incubators and diagnostic imaging equipment to washing machines and kitchen equipment although some medical equipment and spare parts have been received recently.
According to the World Health Organisation assessment, enduring health risks are: complications and permanent disability in people with traumatic injuries because of early discharge and lack of appropriate follow-up; complications and excess mortality in patients with chronic diseases as a result of suspension of treatment and delayed access to health care; diarrhoea outbreaks from water-born and food-born diseases as a result of lack of access to clean water and sanitation and weak public health surveillance system; long term mental health problems as a result of the effects of the conflict, on-going insecurity and lack of protective factors; slow deterioration of health and nutritional status leading to increasing morbidity and mortality as a result of a further decline in socio-economic and security conditions and in the quality of health care; lack of access to specialized tertiary care.
International and national agencies working in disability and rehabilitation estimated that as many as half of the over 5,000 men, women and children injured in the latest active conflict may suffer life-long impairment, unnecessarily exacerbated by the inability of rehabilitation workers to provide early
intervention.
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