Operations Director of United Nations Work and Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, Jhon Gang, appealed Sunday night for resolving an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
‘ I appeal to all concerned bodies to solve the current crisis’, Gang said in a press conference in Gaza today’s evening.
The UN official also deplored the continued Israeli closure of Gaza’s crossings, maintaining that up to this moment, no crossing has been reopened as the Gaza’s power plant is about to shut down due to fuel shortage.
‘ the one who saw people today, while lining up in queues at bakeries’ doors, can simply realize how the situation has become in the coastal territory’, Gang referred to the fuel cut crisis.
Asked by the IMEMC, whether there have been any actions towards the humanitarian plight of the Gaza’s 1.5 million-strong population, Mr. Gang explained that the United Nations’ Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon, has been concerned over the situation in the occupied territories.
‘The Secretary General has been extremely concerned over the humanitarian situation of the population here, therefore, has been he has been engaged relentlessly in contacts to solve the crisis’, answered Gang.
In the meantime, the UNRWA’s operations chief deplored the Israeli army killings in the coastal region over the past days by saying ‘those civilians who have been killed did not deserve death’.
He also criticized the Palestinian homemade rockets fire on areas, bordering the Gaza Strip,’ the daily terrorizing of Israelis in areas, bordering the Gaza Strip, is not acceptable’, calling for an immediate end of current cycle of violence between Palestinians and Israelis.
The time Gang was speaking, a rally in Gaza city was being held by local Palestinian men and women, carrying candles, in protest of the Israel-imposed blackout.
Gang spoke to the march, saying ‘we are here to show solidarity with you and we have been relentlessly working to find a way out of such a crippling situation’.
As of Sunday, the fuel shortage crisis has been worsened, as the Gaza’s sole power plant has been forced to stop generating electricity to the population, due to sharp shortage.
Gaza’s power plant generates almost 50 percent of the Gaza’s electricity needs, as Israel provides the remaining amount.
Last Friday, the Israeli government ordered complete closure of all Gaza’s crossings as well as no entry of fuels to the coastal territory and declared that more Israeli army offensives on Gaza would be carried out in the upcoming period.
A series of deadly attacks have been carried out by the Israeli army and Israeli aircrafts, killing more than 30 people including eight civilians and injuring more than one hundred others.
In September2007, Israel declared Gaza a ‘hostile entity’; while in October it began a series of ‘apparently punitive’ measures, including large reduction of fuel supplies.
Since June2007, Israel has been imposing a strict closure on Gaza after Hamas has taken over Gaza amidst a power struggle with Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas, who embraces a peace strategy.
The Israeli military has alleged all its actions against Gaza are aimed at preventing homemade rockets, Palestinian resistance groups continue to fire onto nearby Israeli towns from the Islamist Hamas-ruled territory.
