The Gaza Strip: The humanitarian lifeline
Despite attacks by Hamas, Israel maintains an ongoing humanitarian corridor for the transfer of perishable and staple food items to Gaza. This conduit is used by internationally recognized organizations including the United Nations and the Red Cross. The Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration works together with international organizations to respond to the needs of the Palestinian population in Gaza.
In 2009 -
- 738,576 tons (30,576 trucks) of humanitarian commodities were transferred to the Gaza Strip.
- 22,849 Palestinians exited the Strip, among them 10,544 patients and their companions, exiting for medical treatment in Israel.
- 21,200 international organization staff members entered the Gaza Strip.
- 4,883 tons of medical equipment and medicine entered the Strip, in 572 trucks, based on requests made by the PA and the international community.
At the
Cabinet meeting of 22 March 2009, the Government of Israel instructed the bodies dealing with the matter, to enable the entry - without restriction - of foodstuffs to the residents of Gaza from all relevant sources in the framework of the humanitarian efforts.
Well over a million tons of humanitarian supplies entered Gaza from Israel from January 2009 - May 2010, equaling nearly a ton of aid for every man, woman and child in Gaza. Food and supplies are shipped from Israel to Gaza six days a week, channeled through aid organizations or via Gaza's private sector. Millions of dollars worth of international food aid continually flows through the Israeli humanitarian apparatus, ensuring that there is no food shortage in Gaza.
Food, medicine and ambulances are delivered to Gaza
via the Kerem Shalom crossing (Photos: IDF Spokesperson)
Essential food products including meat, chicken and fish, grains and legumes, oil, flour, oil, salt and sugar, fresh vegetables and dairy products, in addition to agricultural produce, animal feed, hygiene products, clothing and medicals supplies are among the goods that are regularly delivered to Gaza. Fertilizers that cannot be used to make explosives are shipped into the Strip regularly, as are potato seeds, eggs for reproduction, bees, and equipment for the flower industry.
In 2009, Israel coordinated the transfer of medical supplies for the disabled including wheelchairs, crutches and first aid kits. Other equipment shipped to Gaza include heart-monitors, baby feeding tubes, dental equipment, medical books, ambulance emergency equipment, artificial limbs and infant sleeping bags. In February 2010, Israel facilitated the transfer of mammogram equipment for breast cancer diagnosis, and the first CT machine in Palestinian Red Crescent Society hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
Israel transfers school equipment supplied by UNRWA including notebooks, school bags, writing implements and textbooks, and is coordinating the transfer of 200,000 laptops for Gaza schoolchildren.
Gas for domestic use (cooking and heating) is supplied according to Palestinian demand and is not subject to any limitation by Israel. After the
fuel depot at Nahal Oz was repeatedly attacked by Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip, it was forced to limit its operations. The Kerem Shalom crossing has since been adapted to the transfer of fuel and a new gas line with double the capacity to transfer gas was built.
Coordination and processing of requests regarding humanitarian infrastructure, such as water, sewage and electricity systems, in the Gaza Strip is conducted between COGAT and the Palestinian Authority. While the import of cement and iron has been restricted into Gaza since these are used by the Hamas to cast rockets and bunkers, monitored imports of truckloads of cement, iron, and building supplies such as wood and windows are regularly coordinated with international parties.
Israel maintains a corridor for the transfer of medical patients out of Gaza, and about 200 medical staff members go through the crossings every month.
In addition to medical evacuations, the Erez Crossing enables two-way traffic of international organizations' staff between Israel and Gaza as well as Gaza residents with various humanitarian needs.
More on YouTube: Israeli aid to Gaza