PHM-Exch> PHM condemns the Israeli military operations in Gaza

[Claudio Schuftan]

*The People’s Health Movement condemns the Israeli military operations in
Gaza*



The People’s Health Movement <http://www.phmovement.org/> (PHM) strongly
condemns the latest Israeli military operation in the besieged Gaza Strip.
At the time of issuing the statement, a total of 25 people have been killed
and more than 250 injured. Six of those killed are children.  PHM calls on
civil society organizations and citizens to put pressure on their
governments to condemn the aggression on the people of Gaza and to allocate
aid assistance and disaster relief to the Strip's 1.6 million people.



Israeli military spokespersons immediately threatened to expand the initial
air strikes to a full-scale military operation, codenamed *Pillar of Defense
*. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak underlined that the operation would
not be completed in “one fell swoop,” but that its objectives will be
attained over time. Any Israeli talk of surgical strikes is nothing but
hollow rhetoric. With a population density of around 4500 people per square
km, the Gaza Strip is indeed one of the most densely populated areas in the
world and within the first hours of bombardment four children, including
the 11-month-old son of a journalist, were reported killed. Many others
were injured. After less than 24 hours, with 192 essential drug items and
more than 500 consumable items out of stock, the Ministry of Health was
already reporting extreme shortages in medical supplies.



The current offensive is but the most recent expression of Israel's direct
targeting of Gaza's population. According to the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, nearly 2,300 Palestinians were killed
and 7,700 injured by Israeli forces between June 2007 and June
2012.[1]<#_ftn1>Over a quarter (27%) of all Palestinian fatalities
were women and children. Since
2009, Israeli naval forces have prevented fishermen from accessing areas
beyond three nautical miles from Gaza’s coast, where the main sardine
shoals are located. This has severely undermined the livelihoods of 35,000
people. Farmland located within 500 meters from the Gaza perimeter fence
has become inaccessible to Palestinians, while Israeli “warning shots” have
made accessing areas up to 1500 meters hazardous. As a result, an estimated
75,000 metric tons of produce are lost each year. Today, 44% of Gaza's
people are food insecure. About 80% are aid recipients. Over 90% of the
water from the Gaza Aquifer, the Strip's only natural freshwater source, is
unsafe for human consumption without treatment. Israeli import restrictions
effectively blocked the upgrading of Gaza’s sewage infrastructure: nearly
90 million liters of untreated or partially treated sewage are discharged
into the sea daily. Contaminated seawater poses a serious health hazard.



For these reasons, the PHM:

-      demands that the Israeli government immediately halt its offensive
in order to avoid further civilian casualties and lifts the ongoing
blockade of Gaza.

-      demands that governments around the world condemn the ongoing
aggression of Palestinians by Israel and sever diplomatic, trade and
military ties with Israel.

-      calls on all international donors to allocate aid money and medical
supplies to the important emergency work in Gaza Strip, as soon as possible.



Our thoughts are with our partners and friends from PHM Palestine who are
tirelessly easing the suffering of the Palestinian population. We stand in
solidarity with the brave health workers and human rights activists who are
serving their people. We likewise recognize and appreciate the mobilization
and demonstrations by social and political forces within Israel demanding
an immediate end to their government's military operation and the siege on
Gaza.





November 16, 2012



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[1] <#_ftnref1>
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_gaza_blockade_factsheet_june_2012_english.pdf
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