Highlights
During the month of June, the situation remained tense in the State of Palestine with violent clashes in the West Bank and demonstrations in Gaza. In June, there were four Palestinians killed by Israeli forces and four Israeli casualties including a 13-year-old girl killed in her house in a settlement near Hebron during an attack by a Palestinian youth.
In Gaza, UNICEF with its partners Ma’an and Tamer reached 662 children with psychosocial support including group and individual counseling in the supported Family Centres. Additionally, 1,893 children received child protection services in the form of life skills, case management and child-parent interaction programmes.
In Gaza, in June, 24,000 women and children (50 per cent children) benefited from distribution of drugs and medical equipment through government primary health care units, hospitals and neonatal units.
In June, UNICEF in collaboration with Gruppo Volontare Civile (GVC) in West Bank, distributed more than 10,240 m3 of water to the most vulnerable communities in Area C reaching 5,132 people with safe drinking water.
In Gaza, the first phase of construction of the EU-funded seawater desalination plant implemented by UNICEF is nearing completion.
When fully operational, it will provide over 75,000 Palestinians with safe water. On 14 June, EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn responsible for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations visited the plant and signed a commitment for an additional €10 million for the second phase of the desalination plant.The controls and restrictions on importation of supplies remain a key challenge. The suspension of import of cement by the Israeli Authorities from 03 April - 22 May 2016 had a negative impact on implementation of planned activities.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
During the month of June, the situation remained tense in the West Bank and Gaza. Following an attack by a 21-year-old Palestinian on 8 June that resulted in three Israelis killed, Israeli forces closed off all entrances to Yatta for three days, preventing all movement to and from the town, except for humanitarian cases coordinated in advance.
In the same context, Israeli authorities suspended over 83,000 permits issued to West Bank Palestinians and to a few hundred Gaza residents on the occasion of the month of Ramadan, the majority for family visits in Israel.
On 30 June, a Palestinian youth stabbed and killed a 13-year-old Israeli girl in the settlement of Kiryat Arba’ near Hebron, and was subsequently shot dead by settlement guards.
In the Gaza Strip, on more than 40 occasions during the month of June, Israeli forces opened warning fire at Palestinians present in the Access Restricted Areas (ARA) on land and at sea, with no injuries reported.
On 26 June, Israel reduced the fishing zone along the southern Gaza coast from 9 to 6 nautical miles. On 3 April 2016, Israel had expanded the fishing area 3 to 9 nautical miles, while retaining the 6 nautical mile limit along the northern coast. The temporary expansion had led to a significant increase in the quantity and quality of the fishing catch. Over 35,000 Palestinians depend on the fishing industry for their livelihoods.
Humanitarian leadership and coordination
UNICEF, as part of the UN Country Team, coordinates with the Palestinian Government to support its role in humanitarian response, early recovery and reconstruction. UNICEF leads the WASH cluster in close collaboration with the Palestinian Water Authority and co-leads the Education Cluster with Save the Children in Gaza. At the national level, the Education Cluster has transitioned to an Education in Emergencies working group co-chaired by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) and UNICEF, responsible for coordinating emergency response, and reporting to the Education Sector Working Group. UNICEF also leads the Child Protection Working Group and affiliated groups on Mental Health and Psychosocial Services (MHPSS), and on Monitoring and Reporting of Grave Violations against children (Children and Armed Conflict reporting mechanism). UNICEF co-leads the Nutrition Working Group under the Health Cluster, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and WFP, in Gaza and at the national level. UNICEF isleading Cluster transitioning in WASH and Education in the West Bank, through capacity building towards increased Government ownership and more effective coordination.
Humanitarian Strategy
UNICEF undertakes humanitarian action while also promoting 'resilient development', providing children and families with support to be better prepared for and better manage crises, and recover from them more rapidly. It requires addressing the underlying drivers of inequity and fragility that cause grave violations, social deprivation and stresses.
Synergies are sought between development and humanitarian assistance, integrating risk factors into programming, and strengthening systems that can anticipate as well as absorb shocks in the event of conflict, violence or disasters.
In Palestine, UNICEF ensures complementarity with national efforts in the most vulnerable communities, especially in Gaza, Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. UNICEF provides technical expertise and support in strengthening child protection systems and services, including case management and referrals. Monitoring and reporting on grave violations against children informs evidence-based advocacy for improved protection of children, as well as programming. Children crossing checkpoints in the West Bank are protected to ensure safer access to schools. Children affected by conflict benefit from education supplies and remedial learning. Adolescents engage in learning and recreational programmes, to become agents of positive change in communities. UNICEF also supports the rehabilitation of water and sewage systems in affected communities in Gaza and the West Bank. In addition, UNICEF supports the provision of essential and life-saving paediatric medicines and medical consumables; micronutrient supplementation and infant and young child feeding for children and women in Gaza.