Escalation in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel Situation Report No

ESCALATION IN THE GAZA STRIP, Hani Shaer by Photography THE WEST BANK, AND ISRAEL SITUATION REPORT NO. 1 219+ 13 April - 20 May, 2021 PALESTINIANS KILLED BY HOSTILITIES IN GAZA WE JUST WANT TO FEEL SAFE. WHERE CAN WE GO? THE SHELTERS ARE CROWDED. HOW DO I KEEP MY SON SAFE? I AM NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THIS. 35+ WOMEN AMONG THOSE KILLED — M AY, a Palestinian woman from Gaza

TOTAL FUNDS REQUIRED* 63+ US$ 5.1 MILLION CHILDREN AMONG THOSE KILLED The situation in Gaza and the West Bank remains dire. As hostilities continue, civilian casualties continue to mount, particularly as air strikes target more densely populated communities. Given the already compromised protection and healthcare infrastructures in Gaza, health systems are on the verge of collapse —a reality further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 75,000+ As in other humanitarian crises, women and girls continue to bear the brunt of these PALESTINIANS INTERNALLY hostilities, placing their lives, dignity, and well-being at risk. There are currently DISPLACED BY HOSTILITIES around 87,000 pregnant women in Gaza and vulnerable areas of the West Bank. IN GAZA An estimated 29,000 women will give birth over the next 3 months in these areas. For both pregnant and lactating women, lack of access to quality healthcare services will further jeopardize their lives and those of their unborn children. Meanwhile, the risks of gender-based violence, including harmful coping mechanisms such as child marriage, inevitably increase during crises, further endangering the lives and well- being of women and girls.

* As at May 20, 2021 SITUATION OVERVIEW 2 PROTECTION NETWORKSAREDISRUPTED. GIRLS AT GREATER RISK,PARTICULARLY ASCOMMUNITYAND AIR STRIKES.THISHASPLACED THELIVESOFWOMENAND DISPLACED AFTERTHEIRHOMESWEREDESTROYED BYISRAELI MORE THAN75,000PALESTINIANS HAVE BEENINTERNALLY

Photography by Hani Shaer • • • • • IN GAZA • • JERUSALEM IN THEWESTBANK,INCLUDING sanitation (WASH). services, includingwater, hygiene and provision ofhealthcareandotherbasic to electricalinfrastructure, disruptingthe 6-8 hoursperday duetodamagesustained Power supplyacrossGazaremainsatonly pandemic, issignificantly overstretched. Gaza, andby thelong-standingCOVID-19 overwhelmed by many years ofblockade The healthsysteminGaza,already reproductive health(SRH)services. May. However, notallprovide sexual and primary healthclinicsre-openedon16 health clinicsand16ofUNRWA’s 22 only around40percentofMOHprimary remains challenging.Afterdays ofclosure, a directassessmentofdamageandneeds operate inthecurrentenvironment and UNFPA partnersinGazaareunableto community. are shelteringwithfamiliesinthehost UNRWA schoolsacross Gazawhile28,700 (IDPs) including47,000shelteringin58 75,000 internallydisplacedpersons Hostilities have resultedinatleast over thepast10days. at least1570peoplehave beenwounded at least63childrenand35women, Palestinians have beenkilled,including as of20May (12:00PM),atleast219 According tohealthauthoritiesinGaza, the conflictshowsnosignsofabating. between GazaandIsrael on10May Since theescalationofhostilities has beenkilledand 1,011injured. In EastJerusalem, atleastonePalestinian four childrenand6,309injured. Palestinians have beenkilled.including In theWest Bank,asof20May, 25 SITUATION REPORT NO. 1 ESCALATION INTHEGAZASTRIP, THEWESTBANK,ANDISRAEL • • • INFRASTRUCTURE TO HEALTHCARE ATTACKS ON &DAMAGE • — — — service vehicles damaged orconfiscated. workers have beeninjured,and21medical In theWest Bank,atleast41health care least 17healthfacilitiesinGaza: Israeli airstrikes have causeddamagetoat health clinics. damaged vehicles, andthedestructionof 21 intheGazaStrip,resultinginjuries, West BankincludingEastJerusalem,and and 17May ofwhich70occurredinthe Palestinian territorybetween13April health carefacilitiesintheoccupied WHO reportsatleast91attacksagainst ammunition by Israeli SecurityForces. cases tohospitalasaresultofuselive and transferred morethan400critical and rubberbulletinjuriesontheground the West Bank,PRCS treatedteargas paramedics, andambulances.Across the movements ofhealthcareworkers, attacks, harassment, andrestrictionson There have beennewreportsofphysical May 20noon. more informationnotavailable asof have beendamagedsincethenwith bombed. Additionalhealthcentres damage asadjacentbuildingswere and supportedby UNFPA, sustained Gaza’s largestmaternityhospital On May 14,DarAl-ShifaHospital, facility have sustaineddamage; Palestine Red CrescentSociety(PRCS) two clinics,ahealthcentreandone Four MoHandtwoNGOhospitals, clinic wasdestroyed; Hala Al-Shawa primaryhealth care UNFPA FLASH APPEAL 3 2020 BEIRUT PORT EXPLOSION ESCALATION IN THE GAZA STRIP, THE WEST BANK, AND ISRAEL SITUATION REPORT NO. 1 HUMANITARIAN NEEDS SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE & MHPSS

There are currently around 87,000 pregnant women in Conflict puts women and girls at higher risk of gender- Gaza and vulnerable areas of the West Bank. An estimated based violence, including intimate partner violence. In 29,000 women will give birth over the next 3 months in Gaza, 37,000 displaced women and girls are sheltering these areas. in communal shelters and with host communities. GBV in-person services, such as legal aid, PSS, GBV case In Gaza, of the estimated 16,500 expected deliveries over management, and other community education/awareness the next three months, around 2,500 pregnant women will raising activities have been suspended. experience complications, many of whom will require an emergency C-section. The immediate priority is to ensure Several GBV service providers, including frontline workers, safe delivery for these women and their babies. have been directly affected by the bombardments. Some have lost family members and/or lost their homes and are INDISCRIMINATE HOSTILITIES, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, RESPONSE NEEDS in need of shelter. Both GBV shelters in Gaza have been WEAKENED PROTECTION INFRASTRUCTURES, AND A STRAINED closed and survivors have been sent home; they hence face HEALTH SYSTEM HAVE CONVERGED TO PLACE LIVES AT RISK — The key objective is to ensure the continuity of essential a double protection threat. PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. sexual and reproductive health services, including safe delivery, pregnancy care, and family planning. This includes: RESPONSE NEEDS

• Procuring essential supplies (drugs and disposables) Displaced women and girls — whether at shelters or for safe pregnancy and delivery; with extended family — are facing significant protection • Deploying emergency medical teams to shelters and concerns and will require assistance. It is important to note host communities in Gaza; that host communities already live in deep poverty, and will require assistance. Priority needs include: • Supporting mobile clinics in the West Bank to reach communities that may face access issues due to escalations in the West Bank; • Provision of dignity kits containing essential hygiene • Procuring Safe Delivery Kits to ensure safe delivery and menstrual management items, protection for women who cannot reach health facilities due to information, and PPE; bombardment in Gaza or access restrictions in the • Cash and voucher assistance for women at risk of West Bank; GBV; • Provision of cash and voucher assistance for pregnant • Protection support, including GBV detection and and lactating women; referral for IDPs and vulnerable women; • Conducting risk communication on danger signs in • Updating service directories and referral pathways EVERY NIGHT I CAN’T SLEEP DUE TO THE pregnancies and when / where to seek services; and ensuring the availability of multi sectoral GBV FEAR AND CONCERNS AND BECAUSE OF THE • Mental health and psychosocial support for frontline services; ONGOING STRIKES. IT’S VERY HARD TO FEEL sexual and reproductive health providers; • Psychological first aid and emergency psycho-social THAT I MIGHT LOST ONE OF MY CHILDREN OR A • Coordination of sexual and reproductive health support for IDPs and GBV service providers; MEMBER OF MY FAMILY. EVERY NIGHT WE ARE partners, including emergency referral mechanisms in • Coordination of sexual and reproductive health coordination with PRCS ambulances. PREPARED TO EVACUATE. partners, including emergency referral mechanisms in coordination with PRCS ambulances. — AMANY, a Palestinian woman from Gaza Photography by Mohammad Lubbad / UN OCHA by Photography 4

UNFPA’S• • • • RESPONSE• • • • Priority interventions include: prevention andcontrol measures. while takingintoaccountCOVID-19 infection to meettheirmenstrualandoverall hygiene needs girls needs. Itwillsupportwomenandadolescent gender-based violenceprevention response and immediate sexual andreproductive and health UNFPA Palestine’s response onmeeting willfocus BUILDING LIFELINES such asmaternal healthdrugs isunderway. reproductive healthsuppliesandmedication Procurement ofessential sexual and to undertake homevisitsinGaza. UNFPA willbesettingupmobilehealthteams escalate. up thisprogramme astheneeds continueto vulnerability. UNFPA plans tofurtherscale who have beenselectedbased on theirGBV 1,000 existing womenCVA beneficiaries, adding $100,000toissuevouchers for partnership withWFP. UNFPA isimmediately assistance (CVA) provided throughanexisting UNFPA isscalingupcashandvoucher support provided by UNFPA. benefiting fromon-goingpsychosocial GBV andSRHRserviceproviders are procured. procured locallyinGazawithmorestilltobe additional 1,000+DignityKitsarebeing in sheltersoncethesituationallows.An and willbedistributedtowomengirls in theKhanYounis areaofcentral Gaza 528 DignityKitsarecurrentlyprepositioned support (MHPSS). and providing mentalhealthandpsychosocial prevention ofsexual exploitation andabuse and referral. Effortswillencompassensuring support toIDPs,includingGBVdetection UNFPA ispreparingtoprovide protection being updatedthroughtheGBVSub-Cluster. Emergency servicedirectoriesinGazaare level (healthincludingSRH,GBV/MHPSS). impact ofthehostilitiesatservicedelivery Assessments areunderway toascertainthe — AMIRA,ahumanitarianworker fromGaza CHILDREN. IFEELHELPLESS AND WEAK. MY POWERASAMOTHER TO PROTECT MY US. THISISTHEFIRSTTIMEI DON’T TRUST AND PRAY THAT DEATH DOESNOT FIND MY ID. EVERYNIGHTIHUGMYCHILDREN PROTECT MYCHILDREN.IBROUGHT ONLY I EVACUATED FROM MYHOMEINORDERTO in upcomingflashappeals. financial needsandpriorityinterventions conflict. UNFPA willalsoincorporate its upwards dependingontheduration ofthe It isexpected thattheneedswillbe revised services. immediate life-saving SRHandGBV amount toUS$5,071,000provide UNFPA Palestine’s initialneedsestimates FUNDING NEEDS Representative —UNFPA Palestine FOR MOREINFORMATION www.palestine.unfpa.org [email protected] Kristine Blokhus

Photography by Hani Shaer SITUATION REPORT NO. 1 ESCALATION INTHEGAZASTRIP, THEWESTBANK,ANDISRAEL VIOLENCE, AMONGOTHERS. FORCED ANDSERIALMARRIAGES, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND EDUCATION ANDOPPORTUNITIES, FAMILY VIOLENCE, THE COURSEOFTHEIRLIVES.THESE INCLUDEDENIALOF RISKS THAT USUALLY ACCOMPANY THEMTHROUGHOUT ADOLESCENT GIRLSFACE AWIDEARRAY OFPROTECTION