Gaza Strip Situation Report No. 5

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 6 July 2006

Key developments in the last two days [1]:

  • In the last 24 hours (since 10pm on 5 July), at least 15 Palestinians have been killed and 66 injured in the Gaza Strip. The majority of these Palestinians have been killed and injured in confrontations with the IDF in Palestinian towns and villages, including Khan Younis in the south and Beit Lahia in the north. In Beit Lahia, one Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier was killed and another injured and airlifted on Thursday.
  • During the last 24 hours, the IDF expanded their military incursion into the Gaza Strip. The IDF moved additional troops and armour into the former northern settlement block. This follows the continued launching of homemade rockets by Palestinian militants, three of which landed near the centre of the Israeli town of Ashkelon on 4 and 5 July. The IDF remains present in the Palestinian area of At Tatra to the west of Beit Lahia, and in the south east corner of the Gaza Strip around Gaza International Airport.
  • Palestinian households across the Gaza Strip are still experiencing major disruptions to their daily lives as a result of intermittent power supplies, caused by the IAF air strike on the Gaza power station on 28 June.
  • The Nahal Oz energy pipelines have been closed for the last two days. UNRWA was able to bring in 30,000 litres of diesel Thursday via Karni crossing.
  • WHO reports that hospitals and primary healthcare clinics have fuel stocks for one to two weeks, however operating theatres have reduced their functions due to the limited stocks of consumables and fluctuations in electricity supply.
  • Due to the heavy fighting in civilians areas, UNICEF reports families in the Gaza Strip are afraid to send their children outdoors
  • There is virtually no fish now available in local markets due to both the lack of access to the coast for Palestinian fishermen because of the presence of Israeli naval vessels and the loss of permanent refrigeration capacity. WFP estimates this impacts some 35,000 people who are directly and indirectly employed by the industry.

    Protection of civilians

    IDF presence on the ground [2]

  • The IDF expanded its military incursion inside the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours. The IDF have moved additional troops and armour into the former northern settlement block from 10pm on 5 July. This followed the launching of homemade rockets by Palestinian militants, three of which landed near the centre of Ashkelon on the nights of the 4 and 5 July.
  • By Thursday morning, the majority of Israeli forces had pulled back to the northern border and away from the eastern fringes of Beit Hanoun town.
  • The IDF remains present in the Palestinian village of At Tatra to the west of Beit Lahia and in the south east corner of the Gaza Strip around Gaza International Airport.

    Casualties

  • One Hamas member was killed by an air to ground missile fired from an Israeli drone while planting a roadside bomb in the northern Gaza Strip (5 July, 23:45).
  • One Palestinian coastal officer was killed and nine injured when an Israeli naval vessel fired three shells into the PA naval base in northern Gaza Strip (5 July, 23:45).
  • One Hamas member was killed west of Jabalia camp by a missile from an Israeli drone (6 July, 03:00).
  • Two Palestinians were killed and six injured in confrontations during an IDF incursion in Abasan, east of Khan Younis (6 July, 13:15).
  • Ten Palestinians were killed in confrontations during an IDF incursion in At Tatra, west of Beit Lahia (6 July, 15:30) and 51 injured during incursions in the northern Gaza Strip (6 July).
  • One IDF soldier was killed and another injured during clashes and airlifted on Thursday in Beit Lahia during clashes.

    Footnotes

    [1] This is the fifth Situation Report issued by OCHA for the June/July 2006 period. The previous reports were published on 21, 27, 30 June and 4 July and are available on www.ochaopt.org.

    [2] See situation map attached for general indications of IDF presence in and around the Gaza Strip.

    The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the humanitarian branch of the United Nations Secretariat.  This office is mandated by the member states to coordinate humanitarian response, develop humanitarian policy and conduct humanitarian advocacy

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