Emergency Manager's Weekly Report

Feb 145 min read

Israel/Hamas War Situation Report #38

Military and Diplomatic Highlights:

· The Israel Defense Force (IDF) reported on February 13th, that three soldiers were killed due to a detonation in a booby-trapped building.

· The Israeli Ministry of Defense has begun the purchase of hundreds of armored security vehicles for the settlement defense forces.

Civil Protection and Humanitarian Assistance Highlights:

Israel

· On February 11th, Magen David Adom (MDA) responded to an attempted stabbing attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. One terrorist was killed, and the victim was mildly injured.

Gaza Strip

· Airstrikes on Rafah have heightened concerns of an escalation in the most southerly area of Gaza. Rafah is now one of the most densely populated places on the planet holding an estimated 1.3 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

· Between February 8-10, the Kerem Shalom border crossing remained closed due to Israeli protestors.

· Critical supplies to meet food insecurity continue to be blocked due to lack of Israeli Authorities’ approvals to move flour from the Israeli port of Ashdod into the Gaza Strip.

· Humanitarian Aid Delivery:

o Between January 1st and February 12th, humanitarian partners planned 77 missions to deliver aid and undertake assessments to areas to the north of Wadi Gaza:

ü 12 of these missions were facilitated by the Israeli authorities.

ü Three were partially facilitated.

ü 14 missions were impeded.

ü 39 missions were denied access.

ü Nine were postponed by the requesting agencies.

ü The facilitated missions primarily involved food distribution, while the access of missions to support critical hospitals and facilities providing water, hygiene and sanitation services remained among those overwhelmingly denied.

o During the same period, there were 189 planned missions to areas assessed as necessitating coordination to the south of Wadi Gaza:

ü 107 were facilitated.

ü Two were partially facilitated.

ü 19 missions were initially facilitated but then impeded.

ü 48 missions were denied access.

ü 13 missions were postponed internally.

· Healthcare and Public Health Update:

o Al-Amal Hospital Status:

ü This hospital is dealing with acute shortages of fuel and medical supplies while addressing a volume of injuries that surpass its operational capacity by a factor of more than five.

ü There is only one operating room currently functional.

ü The IDF reported that they delivered 20 oxygen bottles to the hospital on February 10th. However, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) stated that the IDF has prevented them from delivering oxygen to the hospital for over a week.

o The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on February 10th that Nassar Hospital is now minimally functional. A recent request from WHO to resupply the hospital was denied by Israeli authorities.

o On February 13th, WHO reported that the European Gaza Hospital is critically overwhelmed, overcrowded, and undersupplied:

ü They have over 200 patients that are ready to be discharged but have no safe place to go.

ü There are currently over 20,000 IDPs sheltering at the hospital.

o On February 13th the European Union assisted WHO in delivering the following medical supplies:

ü 25 severe acute malnutrition kits to treat 1,200 children.

ü 10 measles kits to treat 500 high-risk cases.

ü 50 pneumonia kits to treat 500 cases.

o On February 13th, PRCS established the Al-Quds Field Hospital which is located west of the Rafah Governorate to provide medical services.

· The Education Cluster on February 10th released a damage assessment of schools. Here are the results:

o 162 school buildings have been directly hit, representing nearly 30% of the total of 563 school buildings.

o At least 26 school buildings have been destroyed.

o 151 schools have been confirmed as damaged.

o 95 schools are classified as likely damaged, and 41 are classified as possibly damaged.

o Close to 25% of the schools directly hit or are damaged are operated by the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

o At least 55% of schools in Gaza will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation.

Violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Highlights:

· On February 11th, the IDF rescued hostages Fernando Simon Marman (60 years old) and Luis Har (70 years old) during an operation in Rafa.

· As of February 10th, a total of 156 UNRWA staff members have been killed.

· On February 10th, the PRCS confirmed that two of their team members (Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun) who responded to the emergency call from 6-year-old Hind were killed. Hind was also confirmed to have been killed as well.

· The PRCS reported on February 10th that IDF after raiding the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, a total of 9 PRCS staff members (includes 4 doctors and one nurse) have been arrested, the IDF stole the keys of ambulances and administrative vehicles and locked the vehicles’ steering wheels and they also damaged ambulances by gunfire.

· IDF stated that before raiding the hospital they briefed their troops to adhere to international law, protecting patients, civilians, and medical equipment.

Sources:

· Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #117

· Palestine Red Crescent Society Response Report As of Saturday, October 7th 2023, 18:00 PM until Saturday, February 11, 2024, 24:00 AM

· UNRWA Situation Report #76 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (All information from 8-10 February 2024, is valid as of 10 February 2024 at 22:30 (local time))

· Israeli Ministry of Defense Twitter Page

· Israeli Defense Forces Twitter Page

· Magen David Adom Twitter Page

· Palestine Red Crescent Society Twitter Page

· OCHA Occupied Territories Twitter Page

· UN Agency for Palestine Refugees Twitter Page

· Director-General of WHO Twitter Page

· WHO Occupied Territories Twitter Page