ID :
40514
Wed, 01/14/2009 - 10:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/40514
The shortlink copeid
PLEA FOR IMMEDIATE END TO GAZA CRISIS
By Muin Abdul Majid
DUBAI, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Israel to
immediately allow humanitarian groups broad access to the besieged Gaza Strip
and the evacuation of the wounded to alleviate the suffering of the civilian
population.
According to its new 27-page report "Deprived and Endangered: Humanitarian
Crisis in the Gaza Strip" released today, civilians in Gaza were facing dire
shortages of food, water, cooking gas, fuel and access to medical care.
The HRW report was issued just days before a visit to the region by United
Nations (UN) secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, who will be in Israel on Jan 15.
HRW executive director Kenneth Roth said there was a need for Israel and
Egypt to open their borders to allow a regular flow of food, medicine and fuel
into Gaza, and to evacuate those needing urgent medical care.
"A daily three-hour humanitarian 'pause' is woefully insufficient to help
all the wounded and supply Gaza's civilian population, which has already endured
severe deprivation for the past 19 months," he said.
Citing the Gaza Ministry of Health, HRW said that as of Jan 12, Israeli
attacks in Gaza, which started on Dec 27, had killed at least 910 Palestinians
-- both civilians and combatants -- and wounded 4,250 others.
More than 292 children and 75 women were among the dead, and more than 1,497
children and 626 women had been wounded.
"Gaza was in the midst of a humanitarian crisis even before this fighting
started due to Israel's unlawful blockade, aided by Egypt's cooperation in
keeping its border with Gaza closed," said Roth. "And now it is facing a
catastrophe."
In a letter to the UN secretary-general, HRW urged him to take urgent steps
to help alleviate the suffering of Gaza civilians and to announce an
international investigation into alleged violations of the laws of war by both
Israel and Hamas.
Because Israel had blocked the media and human rights groups from entering
Gaza, only an international investigation stood a chance at this critical moment
of uncovering key facts and reducing abuses, said HRW.
According to Roth, the UN secretary-general's visit was an opportunity to
address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for protecting civilians.
"He needs to lean on all actors, protect civilians, and ensure
accountability. Only an impartial international investigation can achieve that,"
he said.
HRW urged both Israel and Hamas to support efforts by the UN to create areas
that would have a dramatically enhanced capacity to protect civilians from the
ongoing hostilities and to take all feasible measures to avoid military
operations near such areas, such as UN schools and other places accommodating
displaced persons.
It called on the Israeli government to support humanitarian corridors and
other measures to facilitate access of medical and humanitarian personnel, and
civilians fleeing the fighting.
HRW said Tel Aviv should facilitate the transfer of the wounded to hospitals
in Gaza and then, if necessary, to referral outside Gaza.
The Israeli government should also take all necessary steps to ensure that
forces do not attack humanitarian aid personnel and their facilities, supplies
and transportation, it said.
-- BERNAMA
DUBAI, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Israel to
immediately allow humanitarian groups broad access to the besieged Gaza Strip
and the evacuation of the wounded to alleviate the suffering of the civilian
population.
According to its new 27-page report "Deprived and Endangered: Humanitarian
Crisis in the Gaza Strip" released today, civilians in Gaza were facing dire
shortages of food, water, cooking gas, fuel and access to medical care.
The HRW report was issued just days before a visit to the region by United
Nations (UN) secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, who will be in Israel on Jan 15.
HRW executive director Kenneth Roth said there was a need for Israel and
Egypt to open their borders to allow a regular flow of food, medicine and fuel
into Gaza, and to evacuate those needing urgent medical care.
"A daily three-hour humanitarian 'pause' is woefully insufficient to help
all the wounded and supply Gaza's civilian population, which has already endured
severe deprivation for the past 19 months," he said.
Citing the Gaza Ministry of Health, HRW said that as of Jan 12, Israeli
attacks in Gaza, which started on Dec 27, had killed at least 910 Palestinians
-- both civilians and combatants -- and wounded 4,250 others.
More than 292 children and 75 women were among the dead, and more than 1,497
children and 626 women had been wounded.
"Gaza was in the midst of a humanitarian crisis even before this fighting
started due to Israel's unlawful blockade, aided by Egypt's cooperation in
keeping its border with Gaza closed," said Roth. "And now it is facing a
catastrophe."
In a letter to the UN secretary-general, HRW urged him to take urgent steps
to help alleviate the suffering of Gaza civilians and to announce an
international investigation into alleged violations of the laws of war by both
Israel and Hamas.
Because Israel had blocked the media and human rights groups from entering
Gaza, only an international investigation stood a chance at this critical moment
of uncovering key facts and reducing abuses, said HRW.
According to Roth, the UN secretary-general's visit was an opportunity to
address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for protecting civilians.
"He needs to lean on all actors, protect civilians, and ensure
accountability. Only an impartial international investigation can achieve that,"
he said.
HRW urged both Israel and Hamas to support efforts by the UN to create areas
that would have a dramatically enhanced capacity to protect civilians from the
ongoing hostilities and to take all feasible measures to avoid military
operations near such areas, such as UN schools and other places accommodating
displaced persons.
It called on the Israeli government to support humanitarian corridors and
other measures to facilitate access of medical and humanitarian personnel, and
civilians fleeing the fighting.
HRW said Tel Aviv should facilitate the transfer of the wounded to hospitals
in Gaza and then, if necessary, to referral outside Gaza.
The Israeli government should also take all necessary steps to ensure that
forces do not attack humanitarian aid personnel and their facilities, supplies
and transportation, it said.
-- BERNAMA
