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Press Releases & Updates

13 AUG 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 (updated on 12 Aug, 2014)

• More than 1,900 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, with at least 85% are civilians
• At least 456 children have been killed, and more than 2,900 children have been injured. During Israel's nearly 20 day ground offensive, a child in Gaza was killed on average every 80 minutes
• 67 people were killed on the Israeli side, almost all soldiers.
• At least 425,000 people – a quarter of Gaza’s population – have fled their homes and are now in emergency shelters or staying with host families
• Around 270,000 of them are sheltering in 90 overcrowded UN schools and government shelters - some with up to 80 people sleeping in each classroom. On average 3,000 people are sheltering in each school which normally have capacity for 500 people. Six of these UN shelters have been hit during Israeli attacks and suffered casualties.
• Approximately 71,000 people have had their homes destroyed or damaged beyond repair and are now uninhabitable (covering about 11,855 homes).
• About 900,000 people (half of the population) have no or extremely restricted access to running water
• The Gaza Power Plant remains completely destroyed and inoperable. Most homes are now getting between 3-6 hours of electricity a day
• 33 hospitals and clinics have been damaged since the start of the operation.
• More than 200,000 people need food assistance
• 141 schools have been damaged
• At least 373,000 children need psychosocial care after their homes have been destroyed or they have had to flee or had family members killed.
• 4,000 breeders/herders are in need for animal feed for in order to avoid further loss of livestock and additional erosion of livelihood of herder’s communities.


Oxfam’s Response

Oxfam has been responding to the crisis reaching 246,817 people since 9th July:

• Delivered safe drinking water to 175,993 individuals
• Provided bottled water to 4,294 individuals
• Repaired municipal water supply
• Distributed 300 hygiene kits 
• Distributed food vouchers to 4,000 households (around 26,000 people)
• Distributed food parcels to 400 households (around 2,600 people)
• Supplied medicine, disposables, lab materials and wound dressing to the largest hospital in Gaza, 3 health centres and 3 mobile clinics reaching 24,930 beneficiaries
• Supplied fuel for generators reaching 4,380 people