The situation in Gaza
The situation in Gaza is forever changing. Anand Bhat interviews, Dorothea Krimitsas, the International Committee of Red Cross’s Media Relations Director for the Middle East and North Africa to find out more about the situation on the ground.
From kidnapped soldiers and BBC correspondents to travel blockades, the Gaza Strip in the occupied territories earns its reputation as a conflict hotspot. This article spotlights the siege of Gaza, the history behind it, and includes an account from the ground from those who work there.
The Gaza Strip is home to 1.4 million people in an area of only 360 square kilometers. This densely populated land (3 888 people per square kilometer) is envisioned to be part of a future Palestinian nation along with the West Bank.
Gaza and the West Bank have been illegally occupied by Israel after the Six Day War in 1967. (1) (2) Gaza was run by Egypt between 1948 and 1967 after the partition of the British Mandate of Palestine and the declaration of Independence of Israel. Afterwards, the state of Israel built illegal settlements on the occupied land. (2)
Three years ago, however, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon controversially and unilaterally “disengaged” from the Gaza Strip by evicting Jewish settlers and withdrawing the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). (3) In 2006, the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas entered electoral politics and won a majority in the Palestinian Authority National Assembly against the secular Fatah Party. Also in 2006, Palestinian militants kidnapped the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit which led to Israeli incursions into Gaza.
After political spats and two mini-civil wars with Fatah, Hamas engineered a violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007 throwing out the Fatah-dominated security forces. (4) The international community condemned and cut off aid to Hamas and looked to the West Bank government for any peace negotiations. Ending foreign aid to the Hamas Gaza government has caused enormous economic hardship for a very foreign aid-dependent society. Militants began firing Qassam rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip.
In response to rocket attacks and the kidnapped soldier, Israel declared Gaza to be a “hostile territory” at war with Israel. (5) The Strip is now under siege and sealed off from the outside world. Recently, Israel also announced it would stop fuel from entering the Gaza Strip.
Between such violence on both sides, I found the 2007 report by the Red Cross, “Dignity Denied,” interesting. (6) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) declared that humanitarian aid is insufficient for the situation in Gaza and urged a political solution, an intriguing break with its neutrality in such conflicts. From the report it reads:
“Throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, in the Gaza Strip as well as in the West Bank, Palestinians continuously face hardship in simply going about their lives; they are prevented from doing what makes up the daily fabric of most people’s existence. The Palestinian territories face a deep human crisis, where millions of people are denied their human dignity. Not once in a while, but every day…
“The dignity of the Palestinians is being trampled underfoot day after day, both in the West Bank and in Gaza. Israel’s harsh security measures come at an enormous humanitarian cost, leaving those living under occupation with just enough to survive, but not enough to live normal and dignified lives.”
To find out more about the situation on the ground, I interviewed the person in charge of the International Committee of Red Cross’s Media Relations for the Middle East and North Africa, Dorothea Krimitsas, on the siege in Gaza and its medical and humanitarian implications as opposed to the media’s usual focus on the political, ethnic, and religious implications.
Q: What is the situation right now in the Gaza Strip and why should young medical professionals care?
“The Israeli blockade, although not fully hermetic, remains quite tight. With the decision taken by the Israeli Supreme Court allowing cuts to fuel deliveries to Gaza, no improvement can be expected. In other words, supplies reaching Gaza are still strictly limited to essential humanitarian shipments. The number of trucks currently entering the Strip is down to a trickle compared with the situation before June 2007 [when Hamas took over]. As a result, the needs of the population are far from being met. The amount of goods currently entering Gaza has fallen down dramatically and the downward spiral of conditions for Gazans will continue until all parties concerned reach a solution to the current impasse.
“Hospitals facilities are directly hit by these shortages. They are still operating on the emergency mode only, as their fuel reserves do not allow them to run all services, which would be needed for a population of 1.5 million inhabitants. Chronic diseases and non-urgent interventions are no longer dealt with. Drugs and disposables are on short supply, although the ICRC is keeping a constant watch on their needs and is re-supplying their stocks as quickly as possible. It is hard to say when the situation will get any better for the medical profession and their patients in Gaza.”
Q: How does the siege affect doctors, hospitals and patients? Do you have any figures on patients harmed by the power cuts?
“Doctors, nurses and patients are all affected by the present situation. The shortage of fuel and electricity is the major problem they are facing. Patients in Gaza used to benefit from a better level of medical care until the restrictions became fully effective in June 2007. Since then, and in a more acute way with the additional electricity cuts, the medical profession is experiencing severe lacks affecting the treatment of ordinary surgical or medical cases, and the follow-up of chronic diseases. This is a major concern for a population already weakened by all sorts of deprivations.
“We know of one ventilated patient who died at Ahli Arab hospital during the process of switching over from the main power plant to the generator. The ICRC does not have statistics on how the restrictions are affecting health.”
Q: What are the casualties on either side of this conflict? What is the status of the kidnapped Israeli soldier?
“There are ongoing hostilities between Palestinian fighters and Israeli soldiers, with almost daily casualties. In Gaza, most cases can be treated on the spot. People wounded by rockets in nearby villages in Israel such as Sderot are also treated on the spot or evacuated to better equipped Israeli hospitals if needed.
“So far, ICRC delegates did not get access to the Israeli soldier in Palestinian hands. The priority for the ICRC is to get at least a sign of life. Despite all efforts this has not yet materialised.”
Q: Are any international laws or treaties being broken on either side?
“In its recent publication “Dignity Denied”, ICRC emphasized the immense suffering caused by decades of occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Non-respect of international humanitarian law applicable in occupied territories (the Fourth Geneva Convention) is a constant concern for ICRC delegates who are monitoring the situation of the Palestinian population.
“Likewise, ongoing hostilities putting at risk the life of Israeli civilians have to be considered. Legitimate security concerns, on one side, and the right to live a normal and dignified life, on the other side, are the minimal requirements.”
Q: It is alleged that Palestinians use ambulances to smuggle weapons to attack Israelis. Israel has bombed ambulances in the past. Are these charges true? Is attacking medical personnel against international law? “Attacking medical personnel is forbidden under international humanitarian law. Medical personnel, facilities and vehicles, must be protected at all times, thus the importance to respect red cross and red crescent emblems, and the ‘magen david adom’, which is the emblem of the Israeli national society. The ICRC regrets that, in many conflict situations, misuse of emblems or lack of protection of the medical mission are reported.
“To improve the situation, its delegates around the world keep disseminating the most important rules to be respected in times of conflict. For instance, throughout 2008, the ICRC is running a campaign to raise awareness on the specific rules which are linked to this obligation of respect. It will address the Palestinian Territories and also Israel Defense Forces.
“As a matter of policy, the ICRC does not comment publicly on specific events or violations of international humanitarian law, but discusses its findings and recommendations directly with the parties concerned. Whenever the ICRC is aware of attacks on medical personnel or facilities, it intervenes with the parties concerned.”
Q: What is Egypt’s role in the sealing off of Gaza?
“Egypt is a sovereign country which is sharing part of its border with the Gaza Strip. After the recent events, it has imposed a close control of this border. It is not up to the ICRC to comment any further.”
Q: Did Israel truly disengage from Gaza in 2005? Do Gazans have the right to use their coast, airport, and borders?
“As a matter of fact, in spite of the departure of Israeli occupying forces from Gaza, Israel still imposes a very strict control of all access roads to the Strip, be it by air, sea or ground. As a result, no trade can be operated by Gazans. Only essential humanitarian goods are allowed, and even this vital aid is sometimes subject to further restrictions.”
Q: What are you asking from the international community? Why has the Red Cross made such a statement? Is there something fundamentally different that warranted the need for a “political solution?”
“The ICRC has been continuously present in Israel and the Occupied and Autonomous Territories for the last 40 years. The situation on the ground is further deteriorating. To prevent more hardship for the population, it is necessary to go back to the same levels of access for humanitarian goods and personnel, which existed before June 2007, and the delivery of essential humanitarian goods must be secured in the long run. But it is high time that those responsible within the international community and among the direct actors realise that humanitarian action is no substitute for political action. As the ICRC’s head of operations for the Middle East and North Africa said in a statement on 13 December 2007, “In the current situation, humanitarian assistance alone is insufficient. It cannot and should not be a substitute for political action.
“The ICRC firmly believes that only prompt, innovative and courageous political action can change the harsh reality of this long-standing occupation, restore normal social and economic life to the Palestinian people, and allow them to live their lives in dignity.”
Conclusion
Will the situation improve any time soon? Will there be a political solution? A recent poll of Israelis by the newspaper Ha’aretz finds that 64% of Israelis now favor direct negotiations with Hamas with only 28% are opposed, (7) a faint sign of hope for the region. It is only too logical to ask for peace and dignity for both sides.
Anand Bhat
Second year Medical Student
University of Texas Medical Branch
Texas, US
akbhat@utmb.edu
(1) U.N. Security Council Resolution 242
(2) “Forty years on.“ The Economist : March 24, 2007
(3) Oliver, Mark. “Soldiers evict Gaza settlers.“ Guardian : August 17, 2005.
(4) Shult, Christoph. “Hamastan” vs. “Fatahstan“ Der Spiegel : June 19, 2007.
(5) Ravid, Barak and Shlomo Shamir. “Cabinet declares Gaza ‘hostile territory.” Ha’aretz: September 20, 2007.
(6) Dignity Denied. ICRC 2007
(7) Verter, Yossi. “Poll: Most Israelis back direct talks with Hamas on Shalit.” Ha’aretz: February 27, 2008.
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