- Palestinians killed between 28 June–07 August: 186
- Palestinians injured between 28 June–07 August: 771
- During last Israeli military operation in the As Shoka area, 17 Palestinians were killed, including 5 children and 34 were injured
- The total death in the Occupied Palestinian Territories currently stands at 203 of which 17 occurred in the West Bank.
- 42 Children were killed by the Israeli Occupying Force since the beginning of the Summer Rain Operation
- 15 houses destroyed by IOF warplanes following prior phone call warnings.
- Israelis killed between 28 June–07 August: 2, including 1 soldier killed by friendly fire in the Gaza Strip
- 25 Israelis injured in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
- Israeli soldiers captured: 1 in Gaza Strip
- 9850 Palestinian prisoners currently in Israeli jails
- More than 3,400 Palestinians sought shelter in UNRWA buildings because of the Israeli incursions
- Artillery shells fired by Israeli tanks: 200-250 per day
- At least 190 air-to-surface missiles launched by Israeli Force
- Air strikes conducted by Israel, 28 June-07 August: 246
- Homemade ‘rockets' fired by Palestinians towards Israel: 8 per day
Collective Punishment & Severe Humanitarian Crisis
Electricity
Gaza residents are still facing problems for the shortage of electricity supply, due to the destruction of the Gaza power plant by the IAF on 28 June; they are receiving as little as 6-8 hours of electricity per day. Moreover, during the invasion of the As Shoka area, south of the Gaza Strip, IOF cut electricity cables supplying power to Rafah from Israel, leaving the area with just three hours per day of electricity.
Water, Sanitation and Public Health
The capacity of the Beit Lahia waste water treatment plant (northern Gaza Strip) has reached a critical point and sewage ponds threaten to flood nearby populated areas.
The infiltration pools have now reached maximum capacity. These could breach the containment banks, and result in flooding large sections of Beit Lahia and Om El-Nasr with nearly 2 million m3 of sewage and affecting directly up to 800 houses. Continued IOF artillery shelling is both preventing CMWU maintenance teams from accessing the site and damaging to the pool's sand banks.
Infrastructures and Damages
The damages provoked by Israeli incursions, shelling and rockets attacks are estimated to be USD 15.5 million. It includes all the infrastructures, as bridges, public and private buildings, roads, and water supply, as well as sewage and electricity networks. The Gaza power plant will cost alone 15 million to be repaired. In the attack of the As Shoka area, telephone lines, electricity and the water system have been damaged; five houses and 50 greenhouses were demolished and 15 others broken. Moreover, 1,500 dunums (150 hectares) of olive trees, grapes and almonds groves have been uprooted.
Health
As consequence of the power shortage, most of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip are working with electricity from generators. Immunization services have been reduced or suspended in three districts as vaccines are spoiling due to the interruption of the cold chain (two districts) and Israeli incursions leading to a temporary suspension (one district). Whereas, 300 patients needed to be transferred to Egypt or Jordan for medical treatment have been prevented to leave the Gaza Strip, putting them in life dangers.
Displacement
Since 27 July, more than 3,400 Palestinians have fled from their houses due to Israeli military attacks.
During this last operation, began on 01 August, in the As Shoka area, there were almost 2,000 people away from their homes seeking shelters in the UNRWA buildings; when IOF withdrew from the area on 06 August, families have come back to their houses. One UNRWA shelter remains open for 450 people (67 families) who had not returned to As Shoka or have fled the shelling of the Al Tanour Quarters in Rafah.
In the north, 4 UNRWA schools have being used as shelters by citizens of the city of Beit Hanoun and the area around the Al Nada housing estate in Beit Lahia, in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip. Here, the continuous shelling by IOF forced the people to flee away from their homes; currently, there are 1,405 refugees in these structures.
At least 12 Palestinian houses have been destroyed by IAF strikes after their occupants were informed over the telephone by the IOF of the impending attack. The last one was destroyed in the northern Gaza Strip on 07 August; the house owners received two telephone calls from the army, one urging them to leave and a second insisting, 'This is not a joke.'
Rafah Crisis and Prolonged Border Closures
Movement through Erez crossing remains restricted for all persons except diplomats and international humanitarian workers. Since 12 March, Erez has been closed for to Palestinian workers and traders.
The Karni crossing is kept closed on 28 and 29 July; during the remaining period, it was partially open for imports. Nonetheless, many trucks full of food and other basic goods are waiting on the border; even if they will be able to pass, at that moment most of the food will be unusable because of the high temperature. No exported goods have passed through the crossing since 23 June.
Moreover the Rafah crossing, expected to be open during the weekend, after Palestinian and Israeli officials and European monitors reached an agreement last Friday, instead, has been closed preventing almost 2000 students trapped inside to leave the Gaza Strip.
Food Security
The food supplies situation still remains precarious, with more than 70% of the population unable to cover their daily food needs without assistance. Wheat flour and sugar remain in short supply, with prices 15% and 33% respectively higher than in January this year.
Moreover, Palestinian fishers still have problems to access the sea because of the presence of Israeli military vessels in Gazan waters.
For further information:
United Nations, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Occupied Territories, 'Situation Report – Gaza Strip — 7 August, 3pm.
Palestinian centre for Human Rights: 'Weekly report: on Israeli Human rights Violation in the Occupied Palestinian. 27 July - 02 August 2006.