Gaza: Première Urgence Internationale calls on the international community to take action and ensure the essential services for the population

Press release

Gaza: Première Urgence Internationale calls on the international community to take action and ensure the essential services for the population

Ramallah, 19 July 2017 — Since the last conflict in 2014, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated in Gaza affecting the living conditions of a population already weakened. The ongoing electricity crisis is exacerbating already hard living conditions. According to the last reports, Gaza would become ‘unliveable’ by 2020, unless immediate remedial action is taken.

Fifty years after the beginning of Israeli occupation, 10 years after the start of the blockade and 3 years since the last war in Gaza, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains very critical.

“We are deeply concerned about the living conditions of the Gazan population”, said Jehad Abu Hassan, Première Urgence Internationale Field Coordinator in Gaza. “Most civilians receive only 2 hours of electricity per day and don’t get the basic services such as water, health and education. There might be no military operations ongoing at the moment, but the situation is no less worrying”.

Key figures illustrating the current situation in Gaza[1] [2]:

• 2 million people live in the Gaza Strip and 2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance
• 47% of the households don’t have enough food
• Poverty rate of 40%
• 96% of the water is undrinkable
• Only between 26 and 46% of the energy demand is currently met
• 25% of farmland cultivated by vegetables & fruit trees located in the Access restricted Area is threatened by drought[3] )

Première Urgence Internationale calls on Third States, including the European Union and its Member States, to engage with Israel and the Palestinian National Authority to comply with their obligations towards the welfare of affected Gazans. Without remedial action, Gaza would become ‘unliveable’ by 2020.

Press contacts:
In the oPt, please contact Desiree Ketabchi at [email protected] or + 970 (0)59 79 55 613
In France, please contact Sophie Odeh at [email protected] or +33 (0)1 55 66 99 66.

[1] UNCT Report – Gaza 10 years later. 11 July 2017

[2] AIDA Open Gaza Infographic

[3] Palestinian Ministry of agriculture – 12 July 2017