Gaza - The Humanitarian Consequences, Part 2

by Michael Bear

category: Humanitarian Relief

Published December 29, 2008 @ 07:15PM PT

[Description of situation in Gaza hospitals - Footage from CNN]

The recent Israeli bombing attacks are all the more devastating given the frequent and prolonged closures that Israel has imposed on Gaza over the past two months, in response to Hamas mortar and rocket fire.  These closures - described in the previous post - have devastated the ability of Palestinian organizations, the UN and international NGOs to respond to this most recent humanitarian disaster.

Nowhere is this more evident today than in the health sector.  According to a joint statement released yesterday by Israeli and Palestinian medical and human rights organizations: "The Gaza health system is in a state of collapse and cannot provide an adequate response to the growing needs."

As Christopher Gunness, a UN official, recently told CNN: "The situation is absolutely disastrous".

Gunness went on to describe what's happening on the ground:

"Long, long lists of drugs and other medical supplies which in the U.S. would be considered standard in any hospital - they're just not available in Gaza.  When people have been turning up for treatment following this massive attack, they are simply being turned away. If you've got things like shattered limbs, broken arms, broken legs, feet blown off, that kind of thing, you're simply not being seen. If you've got very light injuries and you need bandages or aspirins, you'll get seen."

Civilians casualties are also climbing.  As Allegra Pacheco, Deputy Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, described:

"What we see on the ground is that more and more of the attacks are killing and injuring civilians. It's very hard for civilians not be injured or even killed when the buildings they are living (in) or their residencies are right next to a target."

Israel did allow 30 trucks with food, fuel and medical supplies to enter Gaza on Sunday.  This alone, however, is far from enough.  According to Pacheco:

"Right now, what the Israelis have done in the last few days they have opened up the crossings for us to get some materials in. It is not enough: just a few days. It will take almost several weeks of complete opening every day to really be fully stocked and prepared.,,What is needed now is for the crossings to be opened so that more humanitarian assistance could come in, as well as for fuel for the electric plant."

For the most recent OCHA Gaza Humanitarian Situation Report (December 28th), see here.

Global Voices has a page highlighting bloggers from Gaza, describing what it's like on the ground.  In particular, check out Eva Bartlett's blog In Gaza, which provides a running account of the situation, including photos.

Finally, Gerhson Shafir at Informed Consent offers an interesting analysis of the overall situation.