{"id":193111,"date":"2015-01-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T16:32:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=193111"},"modified":"2019-03-12T16:32:50","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T16:32:50","slug":"auto-insert-193111","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-193111\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaza Update – ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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January 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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±¬ÁÏÍøMAS News<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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GAZA UPDATE<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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The Crisis<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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The latest escalation of hostilities between Israel and Gaza (8 July-26 August 2014) caused unprecedented damage and destruction in Gaza. During the hostilities, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) employed over 5,085 airstrikes, 8,210 missiles, 15,736 naval projectiles and 36,718 land projectiles. In addition, armed groups in Gaza fired approximately 4,584 rockets and 1,676 mortars toward Israel, a portion of which fell short and landed within Gaza. As a result, at least 1,563 Palestinian civilians were killed, over 11,100 were injured, and nearly half a million were displaced, more than a quarter of the population. In the fighting, over 22,000 housing units were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, and more than 113,000 homes — 13% of the housing stock in Gaza — were impacted. Furthermore, 17 of Gaza’s 32 hospitals reported damage and six closed; four of Gaza’s 97 primary health clinics were completely destroyed, and another 42 were damaged, resulting in at least 17 closures. The escalation of hostilities led to the total destruction of 26 of Gaza’s schools and caused damage to 122 more, including more than 80 United Nations Relief and Work Agency schools. Economic activity was significantly impacted, with 419 businesses and workshops damaged and 128 completely destroyed. This destruction added to the existing damage from previous conflicts and exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza strip, further degrading already inadequate sanitation capacity, increasing food insecurity, and drastically reducing access to healthcare. Moreover, with an estimated 10% failure rate of munitions used in the conflict, there are an estimated 7,000 explosive remnants of war (ERW) buried in the rubble, representing a significantly higher level of contamination than in previous conflicts. The presence of thousands of ERWs threatens the lives and physical integrity of the population, impedes urgent humanitarian response and reconstruction efforts, and inhibits economic activity and the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs).<\/p><\/div>\n

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BY THE NUMBERS<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> <\/span> <\/strong><\/span>228 ±¬ÁÏÍø sites <\/strong><\/span>cleared of ERW<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> <\/span> <\/strong><\/span>All ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and 21 PA Schools cleared, <\/strong><\/span>allowing <\/span>250,000 students <\/strong><\/span>to return to class<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> <\/span>Key infrastructure <\/strong><\/span>sites cleared of ERW, facili­tating the humanitarian emergency response<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> <\/span> <\/span>±¬ÁÏÍøMAS provided <\/span>5,300 humanitarians <\/strong><\/span>and at-risk people with <\/span>ERW awareness training<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> <\/span> <\/span>±¬ÁÏÍøMAS distributed <\/span>22,500 ERW alert flyers <\/strong><\/span>to at-risk populations<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> <\/span>±¬ÁÏÍøMAS provided <\/span>ERW risk train-the-trainer education to 1,200 <\/strong><\/span>±¬ÁÏÍøRWA teachers<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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The Mandate<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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In response to the humanitarian crisis that was unfolding in Gaza, on 23 July 2014, the United Nations Sec­retary-General directed "the ±¬ÁÏÍø Mine Action Service (±¬ÁÏÍøMAS) to immediately develop and implement an effective security plan for the safe and secure handling of any weapons discovered in ±¬ÁÏÍø premises" along with the United Nations Department of Security Services (±¬ÁÏÍøDSS). ±¬ÁÏÍø Secretary-General directed ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS to "immediately deploy personnel with expertise to deal with this situation."<\/p><\/div>\n

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In response to his call to action, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS deployed to Gaza on 27 July 2014 as part of the first of a three-phased response to meet emergency humanitarian needs arising from ERW contamination and other explosive hazards in Gaza.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS three-phased response plan includes: (A) preliminary assessments and immediate threat mitigation measures; (B) survey and clearance of ERW and other explosive hazards and risk education for populations determined to be at-risk; and (C) systematic survey and clearance operations in support of reconstruction efforts.<\/p><\/div>\n

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When the United Nations launched its Gaza Crisis Appeal on 9 September 2014, the ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS intervention was deemed critical for addressing the immediate humanitarian threat to the civilian population and facilitating the reconstruction of Gaza.<\/p><\/div>\n

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±¬ÁÏÍøMAS operates in Gaza under ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA’s umbrella. The ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS Gaza team provides technical ad­vice and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) support to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and ±¬ÁÏÍø agencies to enable ERW risk assessments and clearance in order to allow safe emergency response and reconstruction efforts. In addition, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS is responsible for task planning, prioritization, and coordination of tasks requested by, or through, ±¬ÁÏÍø agencies. Of paramount importance is the responsibility for ensuring that the ERW clearance capacity works in an effective, safe, and time-efficient manner in accordance with International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) and International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATGs).<\/p><\/div>\n

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Progress and Achievements — Emergency and Early Recovery<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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In its survey and clearance work to date, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS has destroyed thousands of ERWs.<\/p><\/div>\n

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During the emergency response phase of its intervention in Gaza, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS surveyed and cleared 214 sites at the request of United Nations entities to allow humanitarian assistance programmes to pro­ceed safely and efficiently.<\/p><\/div>\n

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In the immediate aftermath of the conflict, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS surveyed and cleared key infrastructure sites that had been damaged or destroyed to ensure that humanitarian and socioeconomic activities could resume quickly, including the Rafah Crossing and the Gaza power plant. ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS cleared all ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA schools and 21 Palestinian Authority schools, allowing more than 250,000 children to return to school after the end of the hostilities.<\/p><\/div>\n

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±¬ÁÏÍøMAS provided ERW risk education for 5,300 ±¬ÁÏÍø staff, humanitarian workers, IDPs, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA teach­ers, engineers, construction workers, and other at-risk populations. ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS has helped raise aware­ness about ERW hazards by handing out 22,500 ERW alert flyers and booklets to the civilian population living and working in areas contaminated by ERW.<\/p><\/div>\n

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±¬ÁÏÍøMAS launched an ERW risk education training-of-trainers programme for 1,200 teachers at ±¬ÁÏÍøR-WA schools, who, once they complete their training in February 2015, will serve as a sustainable ERW education force multiplier on the ground.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Rubble Removal and Reconstruction Support<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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In December 2014, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS commenced the third phase of its response plan, supporting the reconstruction activities.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Last month, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS started work with the ±¬ÁÏÍøDP Rubble Removal project in Shejaayea, one of the most impacted areas in Gaza. In this capacity, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS has provided daily on-site ERW training ses­sions, risk assessments and EOD support.<\/p><\/div>\n

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To date, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS has cleared 25 areas at the request of ±¬ÁÏÍøDP. This support allows rubble removal to progress safely despite the high level of contamination, reducing unnecessary delays created by the real, or suspected, presence of ERW, and as such, allowing Gazans to start the reconstruction of their homes and businesses.<\/p><\/div>\n

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In parallel to the rubble removal and reconstruction support phase, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS continues to work closely with ±¬ÁÏÍøICEF, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, and other international organizations to ensure a widespread delivery of ERW risk education to at-risk populations in the entire Gaza Strip.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Within the Protection Cluster, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS continues to lead the ERW\/Mine Action sub-cluster, coordinating all NGOs and ±¬ÁÏÍø entities that are involved in this area of responsibility, to ensure that needs are met, duplication is avoided, and messages are consistent and culturally acceptable. ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS is providing initiatives and technical expertise, ensuring that all activities are coordinated to maximize coverage.<\/p><\/div>\n

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In the coming months, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS will conduct a communication assessment in order to assess the needs and readjust the overall ERW\/ Mine Risk Education (MRE) strategy, including the coverage plan, messages, and tools.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Impact<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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As a direct result of ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS emergency survey, clearance, and education work in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of children have been able to return safely to school. The survey and clearance of key infrastructure sites has allowed for the movement of people and goods, facilitating the return of IDPs and allowing economic and social activities to resume. ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS training and awareness programmes have helped empower at-risk populations to identify and safely respond to ERW contamination. With continued ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS support for ±¬ÁÏÍøDP rubble removal efforts, IDPs will be able to return home and families can begin to rebuild their lives.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Partners<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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±¬ÁÏÍøMAS has delivered extensive humanitarian support in Gaza over the past five years; ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS is the only external entity approved by all parties to deal with explosive hazards in Gaza. ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS works closely with ±¬ÁÏÍøDP, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA, and ±¬ÁÏÍøICEF, as well as NGO partners. ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS contributes to the Damage Needs Assessment (Reconstruction Group) led by the World Bank, the European Union and the Palestinian Authority (PA) by providing an analysis of ERW and a related response plan. ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS works with all stakeholders in the region, including the PA, which is closely monitoring reconstruction efforts. At the request of the National Office for the Reconstruction of Gaza, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS provides operational updates to the PA, along with other ±¬ÁÏÍø and international partners.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Looking Forward<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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Today, the continued presence of thousands of ERWs in Gaza requires a sustained ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS role in the reconstruction efforts.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Without continued survey and clearance work, as well as ERW awareness and education programmes, the humanitarian response and reconstruction efforts will be hindered and Gaza’s civilians will remain at risk for ERW accidents. The threat posed by the estimated 7,000 ERWs in Gaza is evidenced by the surge in ERW accidents since September 2014, which have killed 10 people and in­jured 36.<\/p><\/div>\n

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In light of the continued ERW threat in Gaza, ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS projects that its support will be needed through at least the end of 2016.<\/p><\/div>\n

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±¬ÁÏÍøMAS 3 PHASE RESPONSE<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> Phase 1 — Emergency <\/strong><\/span>July — early December 2014 <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> Phase 2 – Early Recovery <\/strong><\/span>August 2014 — December 2014<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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•<\/span> Phase 3 — Recovery & Reconstruction <\/strong><\/span>December 2014 — ongoing<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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http:\/\/www.mineaction.org\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/±¬ÁÏÍøMAS_news_jan2015%20PDF.pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

January 2015 ±¬ÁÏÍøMAS News GAZA UPDATE The Crisis The latest escalation of hostilities between Israel and Gaza (8 July-26 August 2014) caused unprecedented damage and destruction in Gaza. During the hostilities, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) employed over 5,085 airstrikes, 8,210 missiles, 15,736 naval projectiles and 36,718 land projectiles. In addition, armed groups in Gaza […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[3069,2949],"document-source":[4819],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1769,1945,1829,2005,2309,2385],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-193111","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-newsletter","document-category-update","document-source-united-nations-mine-action-service-unmas","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-assistance","document-subject-casualties","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-protection","document-subject-security-issues","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/193111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/193111\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=193111"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=193111"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=193111"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=193111"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=193111"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=193111"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=193111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}