UN: Israel Hinders Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

Gaza: Humanitarian aid remains below what is urgently required:

"United Nations, 18 march 2009 - Daily Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General. According to a report by the office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the overall levels of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza remain below what is urgently required."

Excerpt from FIELD UPDATE ON GAZA FROM THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR 10-16 March 2009

"Access into the Gaza Strip / Crossings

Commodities Import
A total of 671 truckloads of goods including 121 from humanitarian agencies (18%) were allowed • entry into Gaza this week compared to 1080 last week, representing an average of 121 truckloads per open day compared to a daily average of 246 received in the third week of July 2008.

The imported commodities included: food (520 truckloads, 68%), medical supplies (16 truckloads, • 2%), hygiene/cleaning supplies limited to chlorine, tissues, diapers, (84 truckloads, 11%) and non-edible consumables such as blankets, mattresses and, for the first time since 28 October 2008, clothes (33 truckloads, 4%). 14 truckloads containing education/stationery supplies and 4 truckloads with agricultural raw materials (fertilized eggs) were allowed entry.

No livestock, industrial/electrical appliances, vehicles/ transports, packaging applications or • construction materials were allowed entry.
Items banned by the Israeli authorities last week included jam, biscuits and tomato paste, resulting • in 498 boxes of USAID cargo and 2,488 boxes of World Vision cargo stopped from delivery to Gaza. According to COGAT, food parcels containing these foodstuffs, as well as tea, sweets and date bars, will be rejected in the future."

Click here to read full report (.pdf)



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