AMOUNT: EUR 33 500 000
0 . MAJOR CHANGES SINCE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE HIP
September 2014: modification n°3
The open-ended ceasefire which entered into force on 26 August continues to hold. The international community considers the scale of damage resulting from the 50-day escalation in hostilities "Protective edge" as "unprecedented since the beginning of the Israeli occupation in 1967". All governorates in Gaza witnessed extensive aerial bombardment, naval shelling and artillery fire, resulting in the widespread loss of life and livelihoods. Damage to public infrastructure was also unprecedented, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without adequate services, including electricity, clean water and quality healthcare. Explosive Remnants of War are widely dispersed in and around homes and public spaces and buildings throughout Gaza.
At least 2 131 people have been killed and over 11 100 injured during Israel’s assault which started on 7 July 2014. Almost three quarters of Palestinian fatalities are believed to be civilians. It is estimated that almost a quarter of those killed are children. The number of child fatalities (500) exceeds the combined number of children killed in the two previous wars in Gaza. Preliminary estimates indicate that up to 1 000 of the children injured will have a permanent disability and up to 1 500 orphaned children will need sustained support from the child protection and welfare sectors.
At the peak of Israel’s assault, an estimated 485 000 people (almost 27% of Gaza’s population) were displaced. Nearly 18 000 housing units were totally destroyed or severely damaged by Israeli attacks, leaving approximately 108 000 of Gaza’s 1.8 million Palestinians displaced and homeless. Prior to this latest assault, there was already a shortage of 71 000 housing units as a result of Israel’s 2008-09 attack on Gaza.
Gaza’s health system suffered due to the reduction in the number of operational hospitals and clinics as many hospitals and primary health centers were damaged, closed down or completely destroyed. Priorities are the repair and rehabilitation of damaged facilities; maintaining supplies of fuel, medicines and medical disposables; and improving the referral process to hospitals outside of Gaza.
Needs in the WASH sector remain high as well. Priorities include repairs to essential infrastructure and increased distribution of potable and domestic water to households, municipalities and shelters. The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and Coastal Municipal Water Utility (CMWU) estimate the cost of repairs to be around €26 million.
CMWU has been repairing damages and has addressed 80 per cent of the priority repairs to infrastructure serving the greatest number of people. Despite this, current estimates are that 20 to 30 per cent of households, or 450 000 people, remain unable to access municipal water due to damage and/or low pressure. Additionally, many of these repairs are temporary and will require longer- term repair after emergency works are completed.
On average, 20 to 30 per cent of water and wastewater networks remain significantly damaged. Some 30 to 50 per cent of water storage capacity at the household level is damaged, putting a particular strain on host families.
These losses come on top of an already fragile economy and livelihoods. The overall unemployment rate in Gaza prior to Israel’s latest assault was 45% (70% for those aged 20-24). It is expected that the labor market conditions in Gaza will further deteriorate following the conflict, exacerbating the impact of the blockade and the longstanding access restrictions imposed by Israel which have been preventing any meaningful economic activity.
The revised 2014 Gaza Crisis Appeal amounts to €425 million compared to the previously requested appeal of €278 million.
In view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation following the Israeli offensive, the European Commission decided to increase by EUR 2 million the budget of the 2014 HIP.
This additional funding will be used to respond to the priority needs related to WASH, health and protection in Gaza.