Gaza: Visit to Oxfam's programme

29 January 2009

On Sunday 25 January, John Prideaux-Brune, Director of Oxfam's programme in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel, was finally granted access into Gaza. There he was able to meet his colleagues and Oxfam programmes and see the impact of the recent Israeli military offensive.Here, he tells us in his own words and images what the situation was like.

The road to Ezbet Abed Rabooh is now lined wtih piles of rubbish. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

I was on my way to Ezbet Abed Rabooh where piles of rubble lined either side of the road. On the left hand side, you can see that people have made a makeshift shelter. These people are among the 28,000 people that the United Nations estimates have been made homeless as a result of the Israeli military offensive on Gaza. In total 4,000 homes have been totally demolished and another 20,000 damaged.

Sadly, this is an all too familiar image in Al Salaam area. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

Nothing prepared me for what I was about to see. The level of destruction in the north and east of the Gaza Strip was shocking; in some areas, all houses have been completely flattened with little left standing for miles around. The Al Salam district of Jabalia where Oxfam has had water and sanitation programmes, has been devastated. This area and countless others in Gaza are in desperate need of materials so that essential reconstruction can begin. But much is being denied entry by the Israeli government.

This power line is one of the many to have been hit during the Israeli military offensive on Gaza. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

Many power lines have been destroyed cutting off hundreds of thousands of people from electricity. Water and sanitation pipelines have also been damaged leaving the majority of the population without water and a working sewage system.

This is one of the water tanks that Oxfam is using to distribute water to thousands of people in need. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

The hygiene kits that Oxfam will be distributing this week and the water tankering which we will continue over the next month will help people in the coming weeks but spare parts must be allowed into Gaza so that people can have a functioning water system and have clean water to drink, wash, clean and cook with.

A man in the Al Salaam area shows me water tanks like the ones Oxfam distributed last April which have now been destroyed. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

This man showed me water tanks, which were also destroyed, along with hundreds of people's homes in this area. Some of the pipe work which Oxfam worked on in the past has also been damaged, leaving people in this area with little means to get clean water aside from Oxfam's water trucking which is reaching up to 80,000 people a day.

Here my colleague Kamal and his mother stand outside their damaged home. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

My colleague Kamal took me to see his home in Beit Hanoun, which was severely damaged during the Israeli military incursion. Kamal's home now has no roof and there are holes in the walls.

Mahmoud Jaber Abu Al-Fahem stands in what is left of his home. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

I met Mahmod Jaber Abu Al-Fahem who has decided to live amongst the rubble of what was once his home. He is trying to make the best he can of what is left, but as you can see this is very little. He told me that his wife and children couldn't live here, which is why they are staying with relatives. Oxfam is filling up the water tank behind him so that he at least has clean water to drink, cook and wash with.

Oxfam partner, Ma'an Development Centre, prepares food parcels for a distribution. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

Here, our partners are sorting out food parcels, which are being distributed to the most vulnerable families in Gaza. They contain 14 different food items such as canned meat, tuna, milk, tea, salt, sugar and cooking oil. When I entered this distribution centre I saw queues of people waiting to receive these essential items.

Here, I am finding out from partners and Oxfam colleagues how our work is going. Photo: Oxfam

In this photo I am talking with Fadi from Ma'an Development Centre. Ma'an are working with Oxfam to distribute food, which we have imported from the West Bank to families in Gaza, as there is not enough food getting in to Gaza to meet people's needs. I went to shops just around the corner and the shelves were empty. Crossings into Gaza need to be opened by the Israeli government so that more food can get in to Gaza to meet the needs of the people.

People leaving the distribution centre with food for their families. Photo: John Prideaux-Brune

Outside this distribution centre families who have collected their food parcels are leaving. Each food parcel is enough for a family of seven, for two weeks. Our partners are doing a great job and are keen to scale up their work with your support.

Learn more about Oxfam's response