Gaza - Necessary Aid Still Not Getting Through

by Michael Bear · 2009-01-23 15:53:00 UTC
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It's now been six days since Israel declared a ceasefire in Gaza, and yet necessary aid is still not reaching the civilian population.   According to John Holmes, the UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs / Emergency Relief Coordinator, Israel was only allowing twenty percent of the aid necessary to meet Gaza's humanitarian and commercial needs to enter the area.

First, in terms of humanitarian access, Israel is still obstructing aid agencies trying to operate in Gaza.  According to a joint statement issued Wednesday by CARE and Save the Children:

"[The two agencies] are prevented from scaling up their emergency response because of restrictions on humanitarian access and movement of international non-governmental organizations into Gaza.

...

Since the escalation of violence, the agencies have not been allowed to send any staff and have been limited in sending aid into Gaza. Additional humanitarian workers are required to support the aid workers already in Gaza, who have been working throughout the conflict under extremely difficult conditions."

As Holmes recently explained: "In theory, [aid agencies] have permission. In practice, it's proving very difficult to get into Gaza."

Second, Israel also refuses to fully open the border crossings - in particular banning cement and other construction materials.  According to Holmes, unless the situation changes, "the reconstruction effort won't get off first base."

This is especially important giving the scope of the devastation, including over 4,000 buildings destroyed and as many as 20,000 damaged in the recent fighting.

That said, as with all things, the reality is complicated.  Israel has not choked off humanitarian aid completely, allowing limited supplies to enter Gaza - including 196 truckloads of supplies on January 19th, and over 200 truckloads on January 20th.

Yet this is only a fraction of the total supplies necessary even in normal times - compared, for instance, to the amount that Israel allowed into Gaza before Hamas won elections there in 2007 - much less after the destruction caused during the last three weeks.

[Not to mention the Israeli blockade on Gaza which began on November 4th, almost two months before the recent fighting.]

Israel has justified its refusal to allow more steel and cement to enter Gaza by arguing that such supplies would benefit Hamas.  According to an Israeli Government official: "If opening the passages will strengthen Hamas, we won't do it."

Some will think Israel's justification sufficient, others won't.  All I know is that the situation remains the same - both Israel and Hamas continue their dance with the devil, and it's Palestinian civilians who are left to suffer, and try to pick up the pieces as best they can.

[Devastation in northern Gaza - Photo from the BBC]

Michael Bear
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