ID :
40635
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 15:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/40635
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Gaza and North Gaza Governorates remain isolated from the rest of the territory: UN
Gaza, Jan 14, 2009 (WAM) - The Israeli military operation has entered its seventeenth day. Israeli air, sea and ground forces continue to surround populated areas of the Gaza Strip, and the Gaza and North Gaza Governorates remain isolated from the rest of the territory, according to a UN report in Gaza.
Following the aerial dropping of leaflets on Gaza City on 10 January warning of an escalation of the operation, Israel has deployed reservist units inside Gaza to support regular troops.
Increasing numbers of Palestinians are fleeing their homes, fearing either a deeper incursion into cities or an expansion of the operation to other parts of the territory.
The humanitarian crisis is intensifying and the Palestinian civilian casualty rate is increasing. Many basic food items, including food for infants and malnourished children, are no longer available. Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip is causing extensive damage to homes and to public infrastructure and is jeopardizing water, sanitation and medical services. There are increasing risks of epidemic outbreaks resulting from the disruption of vaccinations, uncollected rubbish piling up in the streets and unsafe drinking water. Of particular concern is the long-term impact of the conflict on children, who make up 56 percent of the Gaza population.
Protection of Civilian s The Israeli military remains present in the northern area, eastern border area and Rafah border area. Aerial bombardment, artillery shelling and naval firing continued throughout 12 January, intensifying around the Tuffah neighbourhood in the north of Gaza. Israeli ground troops advanced further into the northern and southern outskirts of Gaza City. On 11 January, Israeli army infantry and tanks entered the Ash Sheikh 'Ijleen suburb of Gaza City and fighting continued throughout the day.
On 12 January, the humanitarian "lull" was activated between 1000 and 1300 hours to allow the civilian population to access basic supplies and medical services.
Security for health care workers and access to medical facilities continues to be extremely difficult. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society suspended activities in the Al Zeitoun and Al Atatra regions as of 11 January after their ambulances were exposed to gunfire in those regions (on 9 and 10 January, respectively), injuring two ambulance personnel and damaging one ambulance. The Palestinian Medical Relief Society reported on 11 January that their two mobile clinics, normally serving more than 42 Gaza communities, have not been operating since 28 December due to insecurity. Twelve medical personnel have been killed since 27 December.
The Palestinian civilian casualty rate continues to increase. Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) figures as of 1600 hours 12 January are 910 Palestinians dead, of whom 292 are children and 75 are women (correction: 71 as of 11 January). The number of injured stands at 4,250, of whom 1,497 are children and 626 are women. The danger to medical staff and the difficulty of extracting the injured from collapsed buildings makes proper evacuation and estimation of casualties difficult.
Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets and mortars from the Gaza Strip into Israel. According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, four Israelis have been killed since 27 December by rocket fire.
Shelter The number of displaced people in Gaza remains in the tens of thousands, but an accurate estimate is not available because of ongoing insecurity, with the vast majority of displaced people reportedly residing with host families. The number of people who are seeking refuge in UNRWA shelters continues to rise: as of the evening of 11 January, UNRWA was accommodating 28,116 people in 36 emergency shelters. UNRWA opened five additional shelters on 11 January to accommodate the one-day increase of 2,240 people.
Following the aerial dropping of leaflets on Gaza City on 10 January warning of an escalation of the operation, Israel has deployed reservist units inside Gaza to support regular troops.
Increasing numbers of Palestinians are fleeing their homes, fearing either a deeper incursion into cities or an expansion of the operation to other parts of the territory.
The humanitarian crisis is intensifying and the Palestinian civilian casualty rate is increasing. Many basic food items, including food for infants and malnourished children, are no longer available. Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip is causing extensive damage to homes and to public infrastructure and is jeopardizing water, sanitation and medical services. There are increasing risks of epidemic outbreaks resulting from the disruption of vaccinations, uncollected rubbish piling up in the streets and unsafe drinking water. Of particular concern is the long-term impact of the conflict on children, who make up 56 percent of the Gaza population.
Protection of Civilian s The Israeli military remains present in the northern area, eastern border area and Rafah border area. Aerial bombardment, artillery shelling and naval firing continued throughout 12 January, intensifying around the Tuffah neighbourhood in the north of Gaza. Israeli ground troops advanced further into the northern and southern outskirts of Gaza City. On 11 January, Israeli army infantry and tanks entered the Ash Sheikh 'Ijleen suburb of Gaza City and fighting continued throughout the day.
On 12 January, the humanitarian "lull" was activated between 1000 and 1300 hours to allow the civilian population to access basic supplies and medical services.
Security for health care workers and access to medical facilities continues to be extremely difficult. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society suspended activities in the Al Zeitoun and Al Atatra regions as of 11 January after their ambulances were exposed to gunfire in those regions (on 9 and 10 January, respectively), injuring two ambulance personnel and damaging one ambulance. The Palestinian Medical Relief Society reported on 11 January that their two mobile clinics, normally serving more than 42 Gaza communities, have not been operating since 28 December due to insecurity. Twelve medical personnel have been killed since 27 December.
The Palestinian civilian casualty rate continues to increase. Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) figures as of 1600 hours 12 January are 910 Palestinians dead, of whom 292 are children and 75 are women (correction: 71 as of 11 January). The number of injured stands at 4,250, of whom 1,497 are children and 626 are women. The danger to medical staff and the difficulty of extracting the injured from collapsed buildings makes proper evacuation and estimation of casualties difficult.
Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets and mortars from the Gaza Strip into Israel. According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, four Israelis have been killed since 27 December by rocket fire.
Shelter The number of displaced people in Gaza remains in the tens of thousands, but an accurate estimate is not available because of ongoing insecurity, with the vast majority of displaced people reportedly residing with host families. The number of people who are seeking refuge in UNRWA shelters continues to rise: as of the evening of 11 January, UNRWA was accommodating 28,116 people in 36 emergency shelters. UNRWA opened five additional shelters on 11 January to accommodate the one-day increase of 2,240 people.
