By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East
LONDON, United Kingdom – On March 6, a coalition of eight UK humanitarian and human rights groups released a report detailing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Amnesty International Oxfam, CARE International UK, and other groups prepared the report, titled “The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion.” The groups claimed that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is the worst since 1967, when the Israel occupation began.
The report criticizes Israel’s blockade as collective punishment and therefore illegal under international law. Also, it states that the recent blockade has resulted in higher rates of poverty, unemployment, and threatens Gaza’s internal infrastructure.
According to the report, over 80 percent of 1.5 million Gaza residents rely on humanitarian aid and nearly 1.1 million are dependent on food aid. In addition, nearly 40 percent of Gazans are unemployed and by the end of the year, unemployment will reach 50 percent. In the past six months 3,500 of the 3,900 factories in Gaza have closed, which resulted in the loss of 75,000 of the 110,000 jobs in the private sector.
The increase in poverty and unemployment are just two problems highlighted in the report. Other concerns include: hospital power outages; inability to deliver humanitarian aid, including cooking fuel and food; failing water and sewage treatment systems; failing schools; and restriction of movement.
While the report recognizes that “Israel has the right and obligation to protect its citizens,” it claims that Israel’s blockade has been ineffective in securing its country and imposes collective punishment on the 1.5 million Palestinians who live in Gaza. Amnesty UK Director Kate Allen stated that “punishing the entire Gazan population by denying them these basic human rights is utterly indefensible.”
Also, the groups argue that the Israeli blockade and the international embargo against Gaza is detrimental to the peace process. The report quotes Karen Konig Abu Zayd, the head of the UN Relief Works Agency, as saying that “hungry, unhealthy, angry communities do not make good partners for peace.”
The Chief Executive of CARE International UK, Geoffrey Dennis, said “unless the blockade ends now, it will be impossible to pull Gaza back from the brink of this disaster and any hopes for peace in the region will be dashed.”
In addition, the report urges “UK government and EU to abandon the failing policy of non-engagement and begin political dialogue with all Palestinian parties,” including Hamas. Daleep Mukarji of Chistian Aid stated that “Gaza cannot become a partner for peace unless Israel, Fatah and the Quartet engage with Hamas and give the people of Gaza a future.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded to the report by saying that it was misdirected. Instead of placing the blame on Israel, Major Peter Lerner, an Israeli spokesman, stated that “the main responsibility for events in Gaza… is the Hamas organization, to which all complaints should be addressed.”
Ha’aretz reports that NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based watchdog, “called on human rights groups to end what it called their political use of international law.” NGO Monitor claims that an Amnesty press release made “unsubstantiated accusations” that the Israeli military acted “with reckless disregard for civilian life.”
Gerald Steinberg, the Executive Director of NGO Monitor, said: “NGOs and human rights groups must end their irresponsible and immoral use of legal rhetoric. False claims of disproportionate force and collective punishment by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch make a mockery of international law.”
For the report, please see:
The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion
For more information, please see:
BBC – Gaza Situation “Worst Since 1967” – 6 March 2008
The Daily Star – British Aid Groups Sound Alarm for Gaza, Urge Engagement with Hamas – 6 March 2008
The Guardian – Sanctions Causing Gaza to Implode, Say Rights Groups – 6 March 2008
Ha’aretz – Rights Groups: Gaza Humanitarian Situation Worst Since 1967 – 6 March 2008
Telegraph – Human Crisis in Gaza “is Worst for 40 Years” – 6 March 2008
Yedioth – Amnesty: Situation in Gaza Worst Since 1967 – 6 March 2008
