As
UN
Describes
Panic in Gaza,
Won't Confirm
Internet
Cutoff
or Ramallah
Trip
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 16 --
The day after
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
declined to
tell Inner
City Press
if Ban had
tried to call
Mahmood Abbas
alongside his
calls to
Israel's
Netanyahu
and Egypt's
Morsi, he
declined to
confirm Abbas'
statement that
Ban
will visit
Ramallah.
Meanwhile
Inner
City Press
asked the UN,
which has its
UNRWA offices
in Gaza,
about the
status of
electricity
and Internet
there. Shortly
thereafter,
the UN sent
Inner City
Press the
following:
Subject:
Your
question on
humanitarian
concerns in
Gaza
From: UN
Spokesperson -
Do Not Reply
[at] un.org
Date: Fri, Nov
16, 2012 at
1:07 PM
To: Matthew
Russell Lee
[at]
innercitypress.com
The
Office
for the
Coordination
of
Humanitarian
Affairs has
been informed
by Gaza’s
Ministry of
Health that a
state of
emergency has
been
declared in
all health
facilities in
the Gaza
Strip. While
hospitals
have so far
managed to
treat all
incoming
injuries, the
shortage of
essential
drugs is of
major concern,
particular if
hostilities
escalate
further.
The
Office
for the
Coordination
of
Humanitarian
Affairs
describes the
humanitarian
situation as
precarious.
There is
widespread
panic among
the population
in Gaza, as
well as the
stockpiling of
food and fuel
and low levels
of drug and
medical
supplies. All
schools are
closed,
as is the
crossing for
humanitarian
goods. In
southern
Israel, all
schools within
a 40 km radius
of the border
with Gaza are
closed and
movement is
limited.
All
parties
must uphold
their
obligations
under
international
humanitarian
law to spare
civilians from
the effects of
hostilities,
in accordance
with the
principles of
distinction
and
proportionality.
The
radius
information is
interesting,
but it does
not address
any
cut-off of the
Internet, or
of
electricity.
Click
here
for Inner
City Press' November
14 coverage of
Egypt
requesting the
Security
Council
meeting before
the
Palestinian
mission did,
and the
struggle for
power and
representation.
Here is
Palestine's
draft
resolution to
become a
non-member
State of the
UN. Watch
this site.
, 
