PCHR Calls for Free Access for Humanitarian Agencies and Re-institution of UNRWA Emergency Food Programme

April 1, 2004

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PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

PRESS RELEASE

Ref: 55/2004

Date: 01 April 2004

Time: 12:30 GMT

PCHR Calls for Free Access for Humanitarian Agencies and Re-institution of UNRWA Emergency Food Programme

PCHR is gravely concerned at increasing restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities on the United Nations and other international humanitarian organizations operating in the Gaza Strip, that have resulted in the suspension of UNRWA’s Emergency Food Aid programme in the Gaza Strip. PCHR calls upon the Israeli authorities to immediately rescind all restrictions on humanitarian agencies and allow free access for humanitarian agencies, their staff, vehicles and supplies.

Earlier this week, United Nations agencies, including UNRWA, called upon the Israeli occupying authorities to halt the increasing restrictions on passage of staff and vehicles, including food and other humanitarian supplies, into and out of the Gaza Strip. UNRWA today announced its suspension of emergency food aid services to 600,000 Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip following the complete depletion of foodstuff stocks in the Gaza Strip which has directly resulted from these restrictions on access for vehicles and containers through the Karni commercial crossing with Israel.

Humanitarian agencies operating in the Gaza Strip have been subject to arbitrary and prolonged delays and denials of access for many years. However, heightened restrictions imposed since the beginning of March 2004 have severely disrupted the supply of humanitarian services, including medical and food aid, to thousands of Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip. Today’s announcement by UNRWA, the largest UN humanitarian agency operating in the OPTs, is disastrous for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip who have become dependent on food aid after more than three years of severe closures and Israeli military actions against the civilian population. In particular, the Israeli military closure policy on the OPTs has suffocated economic and commercial activity resulting in massive unemployment and spiraling poverty levels.

PCHR calls demands that Israel immediately withdraw these restrictions on the activities of international humanitarian agencies and ensure free access for all humanitarian workers, vehicles and supplies. PCHR further calls on the international community to take effective steps to ensure Israel allows free access to all humanitarian agencies operating in the OPTs and the Gaza Strip in particular. PCHR further calls on the member states of the United Nations to immediately provide the financial assistance necessary to fund UNRWA’s emergency program to ensure essential humanitarian services are provided to the Palestinian refugee community.