Monday, 5 January 2009
Bethlehem - Ma’an - Nations from Jordan to Greece have collected aid for Gaza, but whether or not it gets there, and whether or not it gets to those in most need, depends largely on Israel’s decision to open and close crossings, and whether Israeli fire prevents aid organizations from operating.
On Sunday a Palestinian Authority spokesperson said Israel would open the Kerem Shalom cargo crossing and the Nahal Oz fuel crossing for the transfer of humanitarian supplies.
On Saturday UNRWA announced that all crossings into the Strip were closed and food distribution was cancelled.
The Palestinian Red Crescent works around the clock to distribute international aid coming through the Rafah crossing. It is not clear whether the crossing is still open.
Egyptian Consul General in Ramallah Ashraf Akel said Saturday that Rafah has been open and sending aid in since the first days of the Israeli strikes, though as of Monday was unable to comment on the situation at the border.
Aid moving slowly
The crossings that are open, Rafah from Egypt and Kerem Shalom from Israel, are meant for civilians and cargo, not massive aid shipments. During a press briefing Saturday UN office for Humanitarian Affairs spokesperson Aiden O'Leary stressed the painfully slow the process of getting wheat through the Karni crossing was.
“The problem is that we're operating at Karem Shalom instead of on the conveyor belt at Karni,” he said distressed, “If we keep this going, Karem Shalom will be continuously blocked by trucks filled with wheat [rather than allowing medicines, sugar and rice in]… Karni has got to be opened. Wheat grain is not enough.”
Similar logistical problems were described at Rafah crossing. “It is a civilian crossing and not equipped for the large number of goods being shipped in,” said Akel.
According to Abu Hasna, they have received 18-35 trucks a day and about 10% of that is medical supplies. Before the Israeli airstrikes and ground invasion 750,000 Gazans relied on UNRWA as their main source of food. Recent estimates say as many as 2,000 families are now homeless and are now reliant of aid.
There has been no comment from Israel as to why Karni crossing, in the northern Gaza Strip, has not been opened.
Division of labor
There are two principal aid distributors in Gaza currently, UNRWA and the Red Crescent Society in Palestine (PRC).
International aid and goods coming in from Rafah are coordinated by the Egyptian Red Crescent and are handed over to their Palestinian counterparts through Rafah. There has been no word on the amount of aid sent through. According to some reports the first three days of the attacks saw 65 tons of relief materials sent into Gaza. The PRC is then responsible for distribution of that aid, which is part food and part medical supplies.
For UNRWA, the largest aid distributor in the Strip, all goods are received through the crossings operated by Israel. On Sunday UNRWA confirmed that all food distributions have been suspended and all crossing points remain closed, this may change as the organization receives wheat through Kerem Shalom Monday.
UNRWA distributes goods based on a distribution list that depends on being able to contact individual aid recipients when aid is available. With phone companies in Gaza warning of a total collapse of the telecommunications system, distribution may become more difficult.
The Palestine Red Crescent appears to be handling any international aid sent in via Rafah. UNRWA confirmed that the only goods they have brought in over and above what they have purchased, was some medication donated by the Hashemite fund and the Jordanian Government.
The Red Crescent Society in Gaza continues to work around the clock in order to assist the population. They are distributing the international aid coming through Gaza including donations of 2,000 units of blood from Jordan, and five ambulances from Turkey, though these were scheduled for delivery to the area since November.
Wheat is not enough
On Sunday Israeli authorities announced that approximately 200,000 liters of fuel will be pumped into Gaza via the Nahal Oz crossing. The industrial diesel will be used to boost reserves at the power station, which supplies about 30% of total need when fully operational and is now at half capacity after 10 days of Israeli strikes. The supplies are also said to be destined for “other humanitarian centers.”
For reference, 420 thousand liters of industrial diesel gives about 30 hours of electricity from the Gaza plant.
During his situation report O’Leary noted “the psychological damage caused by having no access to TV, radio, phones, etc. is real. Infrastructure is breaking down…The isolation caused by the lack of electricity cannot be overstated.”
