Amid a surge in hostilities and an ongoing blockade, 2014 was a traumatic year for millions of people living in the occupied Palestinian territory, a senior United Nations humanitarian official said, as the Organization released its latest report on the situation on the ground, the UN News Center reported.
“Continued occupation undermines the ability of Palestinians to live normal lives,” UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the territory, James Rawley, said in conjunction with the release of the 2014 Annual Humanitarian Overview by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
“Were these factors removed and related policies changed, international humanitarian assistance would not be necessary here,” he added, while acknowledging that last year had been a “devastating” one for Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.
The report, entitled Fragmented Lives, recalls that 1.8 million people in Gaza experienced an escalation in hostilities during the 2014 conflict between Gaza-based Palestinian militants and Israeli forces, resulting in over 1,500 Palestinian civilian fatalities, including more than 550 children, and leaving some 100,000 residents without a home. In addition, five Israeli civilians, including a child, as well as a security guard were killed.
Moreover, it adds, reconstruction efforts in Gaza following the 51-day conflict have been slow, hampered by the continued blockade and the lack of funding, although the temporary Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism has enabled the import of construction material.