24
hour reports by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
Due to
the dramatic escalation in violence over the past few days and the
massive assault on Gaza, UNRWA has declared an emergency in all five
areas of the Gaza Strip. It is closely monitoring the situation and
stands ready to mount an emergency response should that become
necessary. The priority for the Agency has now shifted to emergency
operations, providing assistance to those who have been displaced and
sought shelter in UNRWA schools, while attempting to continue regular
operations. Urgent funding needs persist and are increasing
Key
parts:
“Palestinians
flee homes as truce ends. Over 220,000 IDPs in 89 UNRWA shelters
(up by almost 50,000 on 7 August 2014, 08.00hrs).”
“In
the early evening hours of 7 August, Palestinians started fleeing
their homes to find shelter in UNRWA schools in the North, Gaza City
and Khan Younis. With no glimmer of hope in sight, Palestinians
feared the talks would fail and shelling to resume. Gazans are
terrified and fear the worst is still to come. UNRWA will continue
providing refuge and humanitarian aid to all Palestinians impacted by
the hostilities. Due to the massive influx into the shelters
overnight and early this morning, there are no updated IDP figures
available. Registration will continue throughout the day.”
“This
war has shown that nobody and nothing is safe in Gaza. As reported
earlier on, five UNRWA emergency shelters were subject to
direct kinetic attacks by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). According
to information provided by the Protection Cluster, 20
Palestinians were killed in the attack on the Jabalia Elementary
Girls School A & B on 30 July 2014. The attack on Beit Hanoun
Elementary Co-ed School A & D on 24 July caused 11 fatalities.
The missile strike next to an UNRWA shelter in Rafah killed 10
Palestinians on 3 August. The coordinates and
joint coordination map references were communicated to the IDF on
multiple occasions.”
“Rescue
and medical teams continued recovering bodies. The
cumulative death toll among Palestinians stands at 1,922, with 32 new
fatalities reported. Of the new reported fatalities, 11 are children
and 8 are women.”
“In
UN missions around the globe, UN flags were flying at half-mast on
Thursday in memory of the eleven UNRWA
colleagues who were killed during the one-month military escalation.
A moment of silence was observed by UN staff members in memory of
their Palestinian colleagues.”
“In
a statement on 7 August (link is external), the United Nations
Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the oPt, James Rawley, said
a continued halt in violence was essential for a humanitarian
response in the Gaza Strip. With due regard to security concerns, an
agreement to lift the restrictions on movement of people and goods
that Israel has put in place for the last seven years was critical to
address people’s needs in the short and longer-term. 'Without
the full lifting of the blockade of the Gaza Strip, Palestinians in
Gaza will continue to be deprived of any sense of a normal life and
the massive reconstruction effort now required will be impossible,'
said Mr. Rawley.”
“UNRWA’s
food distribution to a total caseload of over 830,000
beneficiaries continued. Food rations were provided to 4,150 families
through UNRWA distribution centers.”
“It
was reported that before the temporary ceasefire ended on 8 August
2014 at 08:00hrs, militants fired two mortars from the Gaza Strip
into Israel. The police and Hamas denied the incident.”
“UNRWA
estimates that 97 installations have been damaged since 8 July 2014.
Data on damage to UNRWA installations is based on preliminary
information and subject to change based on further verification.”
Full
Report:
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