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Press Releases & Updates

28 JUL 2014

Crisis in Gaza Update

The Israel-Gaza conflict has turned into a major humanitarian crisis. Gaza has been under Israeli blockade for the past seven years, which has devastated the economy, left most people unable to leave, and restricted access to essential services. The current escalation of conflict in Gaza and Israel is having particularly devastating consequences for civilians in Gaza, affecting every aspect of life.
Oxfam urges the international community to do more to push for a lasting ceasefire. Oxfam and our partners in Gaza are trying to respond to the mounting human cost of the escalating violence. Oxfam Hong Kong is launching an appeal, targeted to raise HK$2,000,000 for our humanitarian works in Gaza. Donate now to help the people of Gaza!  

Latest Situation
• More than 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed. More than 6,200 have been injured
• 76% of the dead are civilians, including 226 children. A child is currently being killed every hour
• 46 Israelis have been killed. 3 are adult civilians
• More than 215,000 people have fled their homes but the borders are shut and people have nowhere safe to go. Most of them (175,000) are sheltering in more than 90 schools across Gaza
• An estimated 1.2 million people – two thirds of Gaza population - have no or very limited access to water and sanitation services due to damage to the electricity system or lack of fuel to run generators.
• Half of Gaza's bakeries are not operating and have stocks to last one more week. More than 200,000 people need food assistance
• At least 22 medical facilities have been hit by airstrikes and shelling, including hospitals and health clinics. Numerous ambulances have also been hit.
• Critical shortage of medical supplies in hospitals due to the increasing number of injuries following the ground incursion.
• 130 schools have been damaged by shelling, including UN schools hosting families who have fled
• About 650 residential buildings (home to around 3,600 families) have been destroyed or severely damaged
• At least 194,000 children need psychological care after their homes have been destroyed or they have had to flee or had family members killed
• An estimated 118 fishing boats have been destroyed or damaged, affecting livelihoods of 3,600 fishermen. Approximately 774 livestock farms, greenhouses or farms also destroyed or damaged


Oxfam’s Response
Oxfam has been responded to the humanitarian needs since 8 July, after the Israleli army launched a large military operation in Gaza on 7 July.

Thanks to our Gaza-based colleagues, who have been working in extremely difficult conditions in Gaza, Oxfam was already assisting more than 350,000 people with a diverse programme before the current escalation and now we are reaching additional more than 67,000 people through food vouchers, water or health provisions.

• Approximately 115 cubic meters of clean water daily tankered to schools, filling points and informal shelters in Gaza, which reaching around 45,000  people.
• Continue water tankering to internally displaced people in 18 schools or public facilities and open spaces in Gaza City, northern Gaza and Rafah; will extend the water tankering for agricultural needs if security situation improves
• We has distributed more than 2,200  food vouchers to vulnerable families
• Will provide food vouchers or productive inputs targeting additional 7,300 households
• We have reached around 4,800 people with emergency health care through providing support to hospital clinics and health centres.
• Continue providing fuel for hospital generators, medications and disposables to hospitals and clinics
• Provide psychosocial support to vulnerable communities, especially women and children, affected by the military operation
• Support farmers, breeders and fishermen’s livelihoods by rehabilitation of boats, agricultural lands and greenhouses
• Document and report the violations during military operation in Gaza for advocating peace talks, stop of incursion, make complaints in courts and international level advocacy