Increased humanitarian aid to Gaza after IDF operation, 29 Mar 2009

[oberliner]

Weekly summary of the Gaza crossings - March 22-29, 2009

- Throughout the week a total of 17,385 tons of humanitarian aid, food commodities, medical supplies and medication, supplies for the private and public sectors were transferred to the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom cargo terminal and the Karni conveyor belt.

- 2,172,000 liters of heavy duty diesel, for the Gaza power station were delivered via Nahal Oz fuel depot. 1,170 tons of gas for domestic uses was transferred to the Gaza Strip. The ongoing supply of gas for domestic use is reliant on Palestinian demand and is not subject to any limitation by Israel.

- Kerem Shalom operated on 6 scheduled days, Karni conveyor belt operated 3 scheduled days and Nahal Oz operated 5 scheduled days. Erez crossing operated 6 scheduled days and facilitated medical movements beyond regular operating hours.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MYAI-7QM453?OpenDocument

[bemildred]

1. UN to Israel: Ease 'devastating' Gaza blockade

The top United Nations aid official in the Gaza Strip urged Israel on Friday to ease restrictions on the flow of goods into the conflict-torn territory, saying they were "devastating" for the people.

"It's wholly and totally inadequate," John Ging, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza, said about the amount of goods Israel permits into the territory, where some 1.5 million Palestinians live.

"It's having a very devastating impact on the physical circumstances and also the mindset of people on the ground," he said.

Israel says it has opened Gaza's border to larger amounts of food and medicine since its December-January offensive against Hamas militants who control the Palestinian enclave and were firing rockets against Israeli towns.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1076282.html

[ProgressiveMuslim]

2. 67,000 homeless families.

Galloway likens it to the aftermath of an earthquake, but of course then there would airlifted supplies.

Fucking disgraceful.

[oberliner]

4. Who would have airlifted supplies?

What do you think would happen if there was an actual devastating earthquake in Gaza?

Would they have received more aid that what was currently pledged?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. The fact is that an airlift isn't even necessary. Israel's behavior, which you actually LAUD

is unconscionable.

I'm actually pretty speechless at your OP.

[oberliner]

6. I don't laud anything

The OP is just an update on the situation as posted on Relief Web regarding the amount of aid that has been reaching Gaza since the end of the conflict.

[bemildred]

7. In fairness to Oberliner, I have to say that reliefweb takes a very negative view

of Israel's treatment of Gaza. Not quite EI, but you can see it from there. So it's probably not fair to characterize the OP as excessvely laudatory.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. Sorry. I hread that list as a list of "accomplishments" when the reality is quite grim.

My apologies.

[bemildred]

9. It's nothing.

I took it as an indication that outside pressure is having some effect. Israel is certainly losing the PR war at this point.

[Idealism]

3. The second paragraph is incorrect.

"2,172,000 liters of heavy duty diesel, for the Gaza power station were delivered via Nahal Oz fuel depot. 1,170 tons of gas for domestic uses was transferred to the Gaza Strip. The ongoing supply of gas for domestic use is reliant on Palestinian demand and is not subject to any limitation by Israel."

The Israeli Supreme Court had to rule on industrial diesel being allowed into Gaza through the Nahal Oz crossing (the only crossing that the diesel can be transported through) because Israel wasn't allowing enough in to power the Gaza power plant. They set a certain quota to be delivered to the Palestinians but it was rarely met, leading to the plant's closure many days and rolling blackouts even pre-Cast Lead.