Failing Gaza - Report
12 January 2010
Medical Aid for Palestinians and 15 other agencies criticise Israel for banning the import of materials urgently needed for reconstruction but also lambast world powers for not doing enough to help after last year's three-week offensive, in which some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed.
A year after Israel launched its Operation Cast Lead military offensive on Gaza, on 27 December 2008, little of the extensive damage it caused to homes, civilian infrastructure, public services, farms and businesses has been repaired. As thousands of families still come to terms with loss or injury of their loved ones, they are being prevented from rebuilding their shattered society.
This is not for a lack of determination by the people of Gaza or of resources committed to do the job. Indeed, over US$4 billion was pledged in March 2009 by the international community to assist reconstruction in Gaza and to support the Palestinian economy. Gaza's jobless people are only too ready to put their skills and work into rebuilding their wrecked homes or getting the shattered water, sewage and electricity systems working again. Crossing points into Gaza from Israel have been designed and tested and security procedures developed that could facilitate the large-scale entry of the materials needed for reconstruction. But little of this committed money has been spent. Goods and equipment earmarked for rebuilding languish in storage outside Gaza and much of Gaza still lies in ruins.