Inside Story - The future of Gaza - Dec 25 - (2 Parts)

Inside Story - The future of Gaza - Dec 25 - Part 1:

"Israeli leaders pledge the elimination of Hamas and an end to its hold on Palestinian government institutions. As the truce collapses, what lies ahead for the Gaza strip and 1.5 million desperate Palestinians trapped inside?"

Related Reports:
Beware the Israeli Attacks
by Palestinian National Initiative
Source: Palestine Monitor

Ramallah, 22/12/08. Even before the official end to the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Israel began initiating a public relations campaign, aimed at both their own people and the international community, which would 'prepare us all' for the eventual military assault on the tiny, besieged Strip.

Though to many, it may seem cynical that Israel would consider a dramatic increase in violence against Gaza while the eyes of the world are on the little city of Bethlehem, one should keep recent history in mind.

In the past Israel has staged incursions into the Occupied Territories when the attention of the world and the press are elsewhere. Only in this scenario will the world's fourth largest military power be allowed to attack the world's most densely populated and desperate population, with overwhelming force, without the risk of widespread condemnation.

We believe that the public relations campaign of Israel is not an exercise, and that there are talks going on at all levels concerning the possibility of a full-scale invasion and reoccupation of the Strip. We believe that such an attack would result in the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of innocent Palestinian men, women and children, and cause a lot of pain and suffering for both sides.

One death is too many, and in the spirit of Christmas we urge the international community to step in to prevent such a crisis from occurring while our eyes are averted. Furthermore, we urge the international community to begin taking proactive steps to ending the siege of the Gaza Strip, so that those hundreds that we may save today, do not die tomorrow by the negligence of basic human rights.

Mustafa Barghouthi MP,
Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative

What they said on Gaza:

« Israel maintains its Gaza siege in its full fury, allowing only barely enough food and fuel to enter to stave off mass famine and disease. Such a policy of collective punishment (…) constitutes a continuing flagrant and massive violation of international humanitarian law.

Protective action must be taken immediately to offset the persisting and wide-ranging violations of the fundamental human right to life, and in view of the emergency situation that is producing a humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding day by day. (…) It is time to act. At the very least, an urgent effort should be made at the United Nations to implement the agreed norm of a 'responsibility to protect' a civilian population being collectively punished by policies that amount to a Crime Against Humanity."

Current United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the oPt, Richard Falk

"By remaining silent, the international community is conniving with Israel and complicit in the destruction of the lives of children, women and civilians. "

Mairead Maguire, Irish Nobel Price Laureate,

'Gaza is a prison and Israel seems to have thrown away the key.'

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, John Dugard

Gaza : Quick Background

Gaza: The Facts

- Total Population: 1,500,202

- Population Density: 4117 per sq km

- Fertility Rate: 5.19 children/woman

- Total Refugees: 1,059,584

- Refugees as % of Population: 70%

- Unemployment: 45.5%

- Average Age: 17.2 years - some estimates have put the median age at 15.3.

- Life Expectancy: 73.16 years

- % of the population dependant on foreign aid: 86%

A constant crisis

The Gaza Strip has been facing a humanitarian crisis ever since April of 2006, when border closings and the lack of foreign aid caused a severe shortage of fuel, foods and medical care. Gazans suffer shortages of essential commodities and the rise in market prices has made it difficult for families to have an adequate, healthy and balanced diet.

The Karni crossing, which serves as the main conduit for commercial goods into Gaza, has been closed since June 13th, 2007. This has devastated the Gazan economy. "In June 2007, there were 748 truckloads of exports leaving Gaza for Israel and other countries. A month later there were none".

In Gaza over 80% of Palestinians are now depending on foreign aid compared to 63% of 2006. Unemployment in Gaza is close to 40% and is set to rise to 50%. The private sector – that generates 53% of all jobs in Gaza is crumbling.

The health sector remains unstable as the severe lack of fuel causes power cuts. According to the July 2007,UNRWA Gaza Situation Report, primary and secondary health care facilities are still functioning de-spite shortages of electricity and supplies such as X-ray film, laboratory kits, patient beds and examination tables. However there are ongoing shortages of chronic disease drugs and anaesthetics, and a considerable portion of equipment and machines are out of order, overloading the remaining capacity of hospitals. 160 types of medicine have already run out in Gaza due to the blockade. Supplies of another 130 will run out soon and at least 90 medical equipment, including 31 dialysis machines, are out of order.

WHO reports that at least 51 people have died from October 2007-July 2008 as a direct result of not being able to access medical care outside Gaza – among these were 11 children.

The fuel shortage and the lack of spare parts required to repair and upgrade Gaza's wastewater treatment plants have forced the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility to continue dumping approximately 84,000 m3 of raw and partially treated sewage into the Mediterranean Sea each day. Observers highlighted the imminent disaster of sewage flood in the Northern Gaza Strip. If measures are not taken soon, there will be a huge sanitation crisis.



Part 1



Part 2



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog