24
hour reports by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
Due to
the dramatic escalation in violence over the past few days and the
massive assault on Gaza, UNRWA has declared an emergency in all five
areas of the Gaza Strip. It is closely monitoring the situation and
stands ready to mount an emergency response should that become
necessary. The priority for the Agency has now shifted to emergency
operations, providing assistance to those who have been displaced and
sought shelter in UNRWA schools, while attempting to continue regular
operations. Urgent funding needs persist and are increasing
Key
parts:
“According
to the Protection Cluster, 68 Palestinians
have been reported killed during this period, including 10 women and
13 children. The total number of Palestinian deaths reported by the
Protection Cluster currently stands at 907 and the
number of wounded, as reported by the Ministry of Health has reached
5,860. The number of displaced people is now more than triple the
peak number from the 2008/9 conflict, and exceeds 162,862 in 83
schools.”
“Numbers
of Internally Displaced people (IDPs) in UNRWA shelters continue to
increase, now exceeding 162,862. In addition, an estimated 20,000
IDPs are reported to be sheltering with relatives and in public
schools, mosques, churches, unfinished buildings and open areas.
After more than two weeks of escalating conflict, some areas are
reporting that families hosting IDPs in their homes are no longer
able to support displaced family members, leading to some increase in
numbers seeking refuge in UNRWA shelters.”
“Psychosocial
counselors are in place in shelters to support people, especially
children, in coping with their experiences of fear and loss.”
“Babies
continue to be born to women staying in UNRWA shelters, with mother
and child then returning to the difficult circumstances in shelters,
in the absence of any other safe place in Gaza. These women have
expressed their wish for an end to the conflict and to be able to
return to their homes.”
“UNFPA
has expressed concern about the impact of the conflict on women’s
health and their access to safe births, with an estimated 45,000
women pregnant women in Gaza in need of maternity care and an
estimated 5,000 of these displaced by the current conflict. OCHA
reports a rise in the numbers of child mortalities, miscarriages and
premature births among pregnant women.”
“Access
to maternal health services is increasingly limited in the face of
attacks against health facilities and increased pressure on services.
Overnight, there were reports of heavy shelling at Beit Hanoun
hospital, and it has been reported that six out of thirteen hospitals
in Gaza have now been severely damaged during this conflict. In
addition, WHO has previously reported critical concerns with hospital
supplies due to large numbers of casualties and serious shortages
even before the current conflict.”
“While
regular food distribution and sanitation services were not provided
during this period due to it being a Friday, high levels of
insecurity and an expanded 3km Israeli- imposed ‘buffer zone’
have been preventing solid waste removal in Maghazi and Bureij;
access to an UNRWA warehouse containing vital food and NFI supplies
in the north of the Gaza Strip; access to two NFI stores; operation
of four centers for regular distribution of emergency food; and
provision of water to a shelter in Maghazi.”
“Reportedly
there were 80 rockets and 28 mortar shells fired towards Israel.
There were also reports that 98 missiles were fired into Gaza in
addition to 90 navy shells and 989 tank shells. Reportedly, 35 houses
were bombarded.”
“A
total of 93 UNRWA installations have been damaged since 1 June,
2014, many of them on multiple occasions. In the past 24 hours, one
UNRWA School was damaged.”
Full
Report:
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