Gaza humanitarian crisis

Oxfam is there

Supplies of basic food and fuel and the provision of electricity, water and sanitation in Gaza remain low. Even before the Israeli offensive on Gaza at the start of 2009, 80 per cent of the population was dependent on food aid.

Our team in Gaza is continuing to buy and distribute new water tanks for household roofs, while repairing old ones. We are also chlorinating water and supporting the Coastal Municipal Water Authority to test water quality.

In Gaza City we are running clean-up campaigns and distributing hygiene kits which include items such as soap, toothpaste, nappies, and washing powder. We are also planning a series of summer activities in schools and kindergartens.

In southern areas of the Gaza Strip we have been working with unemployed households to develop the space on their rooftops to breed rabbits and cultivate gardens growing fruits and vegetables.

In pictures: The view from Gaza

Longer term

Our long-term programmes in Gaza assist around 65,000 people and include ‘cash-for-work’ providing paid employment to agricultural communities, food vouchers which provide locally-grown fresh produce at fair prices, and work improving public health by helping to maintain clean water supplies.

Programmes such as these help markets to stay functioning and keep people healthy.

Photostory: Gaza blockade enters third year

Learn more

• Situation in Gaza

Background to the conflict

The recent crisis began when Israel launched mostly air attacks on the densely populated Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008. Israel said this was in response to rocket and mortar fire by Hamas fighters, following the lapse of an earlier truce on 19 December 2008. This was preceded by an Israeli military incursion into Gaza on 4 November, which reportedly killed six alleged members of Hamas – which Israel said aimed to destroy a tunnel built by militants.

Most of the 1.5 million people in Gaza were already very vulnerable because of Israel’s severe blockade on Gaza. Approximately 80 per cent of Gaza families were receiving some form of humanitarian assistance before the conflict began, which has now been severely disrupted.

Fighting intensified when Israel launched a ground offensive on 3 January. Two unilateral ceasefires were declared by Israel and then Hamas on 18 January, after 24 days of conflict. This caused the humanitarian situation to deteriorate rapidly. Health, fuel and water infrastructure, which were already heavily under strain before the Israeli offensive, were pushed to the brink of collapse.

Briefing Note: Rebuilding Gaza