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Humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic: UNRWA envoy

Politics Materials 7 January 2009 18:07 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 7 / Trend U.Sadikova / The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains critical, in spite of Israel's opening the "humanitarian corridor" today.


"Gaza faces sharp lack of foodstuffs and medicines, nearly half million Palestinians do not obtain electricity, 700 people live in the tents in Beyt Khanun," Adnan Abu Hasna, official representative of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), told Trend in a telephone conversation from Gaza.

The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza was caused by the ground and air operations of Israel against the members of HAMAS over the past 11 days. The Palestinian medical sources say that the military operations of Israel in Gaza killed 600 people. On Tuesday at least 70 Palestinians were killed. Four Israeli soldiers were killed as a result of erroneous firing by their tanks, BBC reported.


Previously the borders of the Gaza Strip were closed for humanitarian aid, but today the government of Israel opened the corridor for shifting "humanitarian aid to certain areas".

The continuation of the Israeli bombings can divide the Gaza Strip into two regions and will inflict large damages to population of Gaza in future, said the representative of UNRWA.


"The attacks of Israel destroyed many medical stations, and therefore, the wounded people are in large danger of death. Many children suffered, majority of them them experience shortage of donor blood," said Abu Hasna.

UNRWA has been working since 1949 and has offices in different cities of Arab states, and also in Europe and the USA. Last year, the organization dealt with the building of the schools (total number reached 214) and public enterprises in the Gaza Strip.

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