Publications
Israeli forces shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian boy, east of Khan Yunis (Gaza), and injured another eight Palestinians, including six children. The incident occurred on Friday, 29 November, when a group of youths approached Israel’s perimeter fence around Gaza and clashed with Israeli forces. According to Israeli sources, the youths burned tires and threw stones and explosive devices at the Israeli soldiers.
2020 Humanitarian Response Plan for the occupied Palestinian territory targets rising needs amidst new challenges: Today, the Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, H.E. Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh, and the Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Jamie McGoldrick, launched the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for 2020 in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
An oPt Humanitarian Fund success story: Sami is a 17-year-old boy, who loves singing and is musically gifted. But after being shot in the chest by Israeli forces, during a demonstration near Israel’s perimeter fence with Gaza in May 2018, he set aside his talent and had to focus on recovering. In addition to his physical injury, he became depressed, stopped attending school and isolated himself from his community.
Longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from the Gaza Strip have undermined the living conditions of about two million Palestinians. Many of the restrictions, originally imposed by Israel in the early 1990s and also 2000s, when Israel shut down the Gaza airport and safe passage between Gaza and West Bank, were intensified after June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of Gaza, the imposition of a blockade and the closure of the Rafah crossing with Egypt (Rafah reopened in 2018). These restrictions limit access to livelihoods, essential basic services and housing,disrupt family life, and undermine people’s hopes for a secure and prosperous future. In recent months,OCHA has witnessed some easing of restrictions such as the opening Kerem Shalom crossing on Fridays for the entry of Qatari-funded fuel for the Gaza Power Plant (GPP) and an increase in the number of permits issued to Palestinians classified as business people.
Since the 30 March 2018, the Gaza Strip has witnessed a significant increase in Palestinian casualties resulting from the start of the Great March of Return demonstrations. In addition other activities along Israel’s perimeter fence have resulted in increased levels of casualties. This snapshot captures the number of casualties since the start of the Great March of Return on 30 March 2018. The large number of casualties of unarmed Palestinians, the use of live-ammunition and the impact of tear gas canisters all raise concerns of excessive use of force. Exposure of children to violence and the lack of protection for medical personnel are additional concerns.
On 12 November, the Israeli Air Forces targeted and killed a senior operative in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s armed wing in Gaza, triggering two days of intense hostilities, which resulted in extensive Palestinian casualties and property damage. A cessation of hostilities entered into force in the morning hours of 14 November and has been largely holding, despite some sporadic rocket and mortar firing from Gaza.
The Gaza Strip faces a chronic humanitarian crisis, impacting the livelihoods and access to essential services by its two million residents. This crisis has been driven by over 12 years of an Israeli blockade and an unsolved internal Palestinian divide, exacerbated since March 2018 by the massive increase in Palestinian casualties in the context of demonstrations taking place near Israel’s perimeter fence, as well as limited escalations in hostilities between Israel and Palestinian armed groups. The following indicators were identified by the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) to monitor specific aspects of the crisis, identify areas of further deterioration and trigger humanitarian action.
In the early hours of 12 November, the Israeli Air Force targeted and killed a commander of the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and his wife, while they were sleeping in their home in the northern Gaza Strip. The incident triggered an escalation in hostilities between Israel and various Palestinian armed factions, excluding Hamas. On the morning of 14 November, a cessation of hostilities entered into force and has been largely holding.
34 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip during a two-day escalation, including eight children and three women. Half of vulnerable families living in rented accommodation in northern Gaza face eviction threats and legal action due to inability to pay rent. The 2019 fishing catch in Gaza grew by 34 per cent compared to 2018, following increased access to the sea off Gaza’s coast. Record 27,000 tons yield expected in current olive harvest, amid ongoing concerns over access restrictions and settler violence.
Evictions have become routine for Eitidal, aged 30, a wife and mother of two daughters: Layali, 11, and Rimas, 7. Her husband, Medhat, 33, suffers from epileptic seizures and psychological problems, and has been unable to find regular employment. Over the past few years, the family has been evicted twice over accumulated, unpaid rent.
