The situation in Gaza has been described as “a humanitarian hellscape” by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. He was addressing the UN Security Council after nearly 7 months of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the escalation of violence into the West Bank. The latest actions between Israel and Iran are threatening to make the whole region unstable.

António Guterres called for “a quantum leap in humanitarian aid” to avert imminent famine in Gaza and further preventable deaths from disease. Nearly 250 aid workers have been killed, including more than 180 UN personnel.

In the West Bank where settler violence is going on unchecked more than 450 Palestinians, including 112 children, have been killed since 7th October 2023.

The USA used its veto again at The Security Council, this time to refuse Palestine’s request for UN membership. The UK and Switzerland abstained. Palestine had previously made a similar request in 2011. Palestine has Permanent Observer status at the UN.

Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine explained the request for full membership. He said:

“We came to the Security Council today as an important historic moment, regionally and internationally, so that we could salvage what can be saved. We place you before a historic responsibility to establish the foundations of a just and comprehensive peace in our region. “

And he added: “The fact that this resolution did not pass will not break our will, and it will not defeat our determination.”

Orkney islanders will again meet on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral between 1 and 2pm on Saturday 20th April to show their support for the people of Gaza and Palestine, to call for an end to the genocide, and the return of all hostages.

“Six months of relentless bombardment and a merciless siege have transformed Gaza beyond recognition”, UNRWA’s Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini told the Members of the UN Security Council.

According to UN WOMEN, more than 10,000 women have been killed in Gaza to date, among them an estimated 6,000 women who left 19,000 children with no parent.

Women who have survived have been displaced, widowed and are facing starvation. More than 1 million women and girls in Gaza have almost no food, no access to safe water, latrines, washrooms, or sanitary pads, with diseases spreading amid inhumane living conditions.

Philippe Lazzarini continued:

“Homes, schools, and hospitals have been reduced to rubble, under which countless bodies lie.

“Children are bearing the brunt of this war. More than 17,000 are separated from their families, left to face the horror of Gaza alone. Children are killed, injured, and starved – deprived of any physical or psychological safety.

“Across Gaza, a man-made famine is tightening its grip. In the north, infants and young children have begun to die of malnutrition and dehydration. Across the border, food and clean water wait.  But UNRWA is denied permission to deliver this aid and save lives.

“This outrage is occurring despite consecutive orders by the International Court of Justice to increase the flow of aid into Gaza – which can be done if there is sufficient political will.” And he urged ” You have the power to make the difference.”

Islanders in Orkney have been raising money for the UK charity Hope and Play which continues to provide opportunities for the children in Gaza a chance to play.

Save the Children said that “relentless mental harm” has been done to children in Gaza. The charity states that even before 7th October, children in Gaza were living with exceptionally poor mental health due to cyclical escalations of violence, the impacts of the blockade including restrictions on freedom of movement and access to essential services, economic collapse, and separation from family and friends.  

In its most recent report UNRWA states that there has been very little significant change in the volume of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza or improved access to the north. Since the beginning of April, an average of 182 aid trucks have crossed into Gaza per day via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Rafah land crossings. This remains well below the operational capacity of both border crossings and the minimum target of 500 trucks per day.   

178 UNRWA workers have been killed in Gaza since 7th October.

UN Women reports on the situation in Gaza : Scarcity and Fear: A Gender Analysis of the Impact of the War in Gaza on Vital Services Essential to Women’s and Girls’ Health, Safety, and Dignity – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

Key Points from the latest report

Over 10,000 women killed, UN Women estimates more than 6,000 mothers may have been killed, leaving 19,000 children orphaned.

Gaza’s water supply remains at only 7 per cent of its pre-October 2023 levels. 1.1 million women and girls in the Gaza Strip need access to sufficient safe water to meet their drinking and domestic needs. 337,057 girls and boys under five are at particular risk of waterborne diseases. More than 540,000 women and girls in Gaza are of reproductive age and need access to appropriate items to support hygiene, health, dignity, and well-being.

Women and girls in Gaza are resorting to the use of desperate coping mechanisms including using improvised sanitary cloth or sponges as sanitary pads to compensate for the lack of menstrual items. 10 million disposable menstrual pads are needed each month to cover the needs and preserve the dignity of women in the Gaza Strip.

There is limited privacy for menstrual hygiene management for over 690,000 women and girls in Gaza.

107,000 elderly men and women face increased risks during hepatitis A outbreaks, as the disease, though treatable, presents a heightened severity and fatality risk among older age groups. Women and girls also face a heightened risk of exposure to infectious diseases while caring for sick family members, as they bear primary responsibilities as caregivers.

Access to WASH facilities are a particular challenge for persons – and women – with disabilities, particularly those with motor and multiple disabilities who require highly specialized tools, equipment, and facilities to allow for their use of WASH services.

People in Gaza have resorted to using agricultural wells that are 30 times saltier than freshwater. This increases the risk of immediate health consequences, particularly for infants, pregnant women, and people with kidney diseases.

Click on this link to donate to the UNRWA GAZA Emergency Appeal

Here are some more pictures from the Orkney Gaza Vigil which took place on Saturday 13th April on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall.

Fiona Grahame