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Analysis

BICOM Briefing: Gaza situation update – 29 December 2008

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  • In the past two days Israel has ordered the transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, while terror groups fired approximately 40 rockets and mortar rounds into Israel.
  • 23 trucks of humanitarian aid were sent into Gaza on Sunday and 120 today, following the request of the Red Cross, the UNRWA, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Health Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah, and private Palestinian merchants. Additional three Red Cross trucks carrying humanitarian aid passed into the strip this afternoon.
  • The transfer of aid proves Israel’s intention to minimise the impact of the latest escalation on the civilian Palestinian population in Gaza. Israeli President Shimon Peres stressed during a public address yesterday that “the operation
    was planned carefully and the army was true to its principles: namely, to be precise in its targets and careful not to hit civilian life.”
  • Responding to the transfer of aid into Gaza during the fighting, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said, “I note statements by the government of Israel that it wishes to avoid a humanitarian crisis, and its willingness to assist by opening one of the crossings into Gaza for limited humanitarian supplies today.”
  • Sunday’s shipment included:

        -10 trucks of flour from the World Food Programme
        -Four trucks containing flour from private Palestinian merchants
        -Four trucks containing medicine and medical supplies from the UNRWA
        -One truck containing medicine and medical supplies from the Red Cross
        -Three trucks containing medical supplies and medicine from the Health-Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah
        -One truck containing anesthetic gases for hospitals in the Gaza Strip from the Health Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority

  • On Friday, Israel transferred 1496 tons of medical aid and food supplied into the Gaza Strip:

Tons/ Amounts

Number of trucks

Goods/Produce

264

12

Jordanian donation of flour and medical supplies

524

16

Flour

221

10

Rice

140

5

Cooking oil

5

Egyptian  donation of flour and medical supplies

173

5

Sugar

44

3

Medication and medical supplies

40

1

Salt

34

2

Milk powder

19

1

Eggs

1496

60