The Monthly Humanitarian Bulletin | March 2015

In the first quarter of 2015, OCHA recorded the lowest number of Palestinian fatalities since the second quarter of 2013, and the lowest number of injuries since the last quarter of 2011. Although the overall number of injuries caused by live ammunition declined compared with the previous quarter, the proportion of injuries caused by live ammunition increased significantly in the West Bank. Injuries sustained by children during incidents in which the children concerned were reportedly uninvolved were of particular concern.

In March the first exports took place of agricultural products from the Gaza Strip to Israel since the imposition of the blockade in June 2007. This follows on from the partial resumption of commercial transfers of agricultural produce, furniture and garments from Gaza to the West Bank in November 2014, when Israel relaxed restrictions in the wake of the ceasefire ending the July-August 2014 hostilities. In the first quarter of 2015, some 234 truckloads of agricultural produce, furniture and garments exited Gaza for Israeli, international and West Bank markets, already exceeding the 228 truckloads recorded during the whole of 2014.

Over 60 per cent of the West Bank is designated as Area C and comprises 532 communities and residential areas housing approximately 300,000 Palestinians. Around 341,000 Israeli settlers also live in 135 settlements and 100 settlement outposts in Area C in contravention of international law. Israel retains nearly exclusive control in Area C, including for planning and zoning, administration of the land registry, and the designation and allocation of public land.

So far in 2015, the humanitarian situation in the oPt remains fragile and needs have not diminished. In the West Bank, forced displacement and risk of forcible transfer remain a key concern, while in Gaza, although there was significant progress regarding repairs, not a single totally destroyed house has been reconstructed, and humanitarian agencies are the main actors implementing critical programming.

During the first quarter of 2015, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians, including one child, and injured 452 Palestinians across the oPt, including 97 children, 19 women, and four international activists and journalists; this marked the lowest number of fatalities and injuries since the second quarter of 2013 and the last quarter of 2011 respectively. Four fatalities and 436 injuries were recorded in the West Bank and one fatality and 16 injuries in Gaza.