Background

Since the beginning of its illegal occupation in 1967, Israel has detained over 1 million Palestinians, who are tried in Israeli military courts with a conviction rate close to 100%. Israel also detains Palestinians with no charge or trial for an indefinite period under so-called “administrative detention”. This policy of mass arbitrary arrest is one of the tools used to maintain Israel's illegal occupation, apartheid regime and settler-colonial project.

To date, over 10,400 Palestinians have been arbitrarily arrested since October, 2023. The conditions of Palestinian prisoners have significantly deteriorated since the beginning of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and imprisoned Palestinians are being subjected to torture, starvation, violent cell raids, including with tear gas, deliberate medical negligence, denial of food, water, sanitary pads and sanitation, as well as denial of lawyers and family visits.

Despite the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment under international law, Israeli occupation forces and prison authorities employ various torture and ill-treatment techniques against almost all Palestinian political prisoners and detainees, including women and children, leaving grave physical and psychological damage. Israeli prison authorities, occupation forces and interrogators feel emboldened to commit such acts of torture with full impunity, knowing that neither the complicit Israeli legal system nor the international community will hold them accountable.

While sexual violence against Palestinian women and men has long been a tactic of torture at Israeli military checkpoints, during raids on their own homes and inside prisons, it has rapidly increased since the start of the genocide in Gaza. Palestinian women are often hesitant to share such stories, in fear of the associated social stigma, something which Israel exploits, and also due to the belief that Israel’s crimes will go unpunished.

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Background:

The Israeli-imposed siege and the frequent aggressions targeting medical facilities in Gaza have debilitated the health sector and its capacity to provide proper medical services. This is exacerbated in cases of chronic diseases, which gives rise to a need to leave the Gaza Strip to receive medical treatment in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, or elsewhere. However, Israel imposes a strict and discriminatory permit regime, which has a disproportionate impact on medical patients given their conditions, and it is not unusual for these permits to be significantly delayed or ultimately refused by Israel.

The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) collected questionnaires from 102 women diagnosed with cancer in the Gaza Strip to assess the quality of the treatment, availability of equipment, accessibility, and referral process.

The full report is accessible here.

Conclusion and recommendations:

The 16-year-long Israeli-imposed blockade and closure on Gaza have had detrimental impacts on the health sector in the besieged Strip. Specifically, the siege has compromised the ability of the healthcare sector to deliver proper medical services due to the absence of crucial medication, equipment, and supplies under flimsy security pretexts. Ultimately, frequent aggressions and targeting of health facilities and the Israeli-imposed siege on Gaza compromise the availability, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services available to Palestinians in Gaza.

MIFTAH urges the international community to:

• Put an end to Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for its persistent crimes, including the crime against humanity of apartheid, through the adoption of effective and concrete measures;

• Exert pressure to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip and allow for the free movement of people and goods;

• Ensure the urgent implementation of UNSCR 1325 to provide immediate protection for Palestinian women and to put an end to Israel’s impunity;

• Support the UN Special Rapporteur in the oPt, the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, the ICC investigation and the UN Commission of Inquiry.

The summary factsheet is accessible here.

The legislation of the family protection bill is aimed at the protection of the family itself as an institution, and to guarantee its preservation. Palestinian legislators are aware of the importance of this bill, which is why all ministries and official institutions committed to developing its relevant programs, policies and plans, each according to their field of expertise. Their goal is to contribute to the promotion of a culture that combats domestic violence and encourages the response of public policies to this objective, through education, health, legislation and the media. Another objective is to track the bill’s impact and periodically assess it in cooperation with other civil societies. This paper focuses on some of the financial indicators pertaining to this bill.

All family members in Palestine are subjected to violence, including children, minors, women and men. However, married women remain the sector most vulnerable to domestic violence according to a 2019 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics survey. It said 29.4% of married women had been subjected to at least one type of violence by their husbands as opposed to 13% of men who had been subjected to violence by their wives, by their own confession. A total of 44.7% of individuals who have never been married have been subjected toviolence;7.6% of the elderly and 44.2% of children(12-17yearsold) were the victims of violence at the hands of one of their parents. Although a high percentage of women have been victims of violence from their spouse, a considerable percentage of these women, around 60.3% preferred to stay silent about the assault. Only a small percentage of women asked for help through official avenues; 2.9% went to a defence lawyer to file a lawsuit against their husbands, 1.3% went to the police or a family protection unit and 1.4% went to the centres for mental, social and legal aid.

Financial indicators for the Family Protection Bill

The table above shows that the estimated and main additional cost of the Ministry of Social Development to be around ILS4 million a year, considering that the other parties (police, prosecution and courts) are currently carrying out their roles without fully allocating specialized departments for protection from violence. However, if these parties do allot specialized departments for protection from violence, overall costs will reach approximately ILS16.2 million. Nonetheless, even if this cost is incurred, it still only comprises a small part of public expenditures, approximately 0.1%. Overall public expenditures for 2022 amount to approximately ILS16.2 billion, which means the cost of passing this bill and implementing its provisions will not constitute financial burden on the general budget and will not be an obstacle to ratifying the law by decree.

Furthermore, it should be noted that while it is imperative to calculate some of the costs resulting from violence against women, the reaerate the high costs as well. The secret social costs, which impact society as a whole. Data from the Ministry of Social Development showed (see graph), that violence exercised against women has prompted around 60% of them to flee their homes. Also, 18% of them attempted suicide in addition to suffering from mental and physical illnesses, unwanted pregnancies or others. Calculating expenses incurred from violence is not an easy process and there are no national data or figures that can measure the impact violence has on the state’s general budget due to the prevalent mentality towards violence as an issue associated only with women. This is especially true when the conversation is about the indirect and intangible effects of violence, including:

Violations of human rights; negative social, economic and political impacts; working women who get sick and need to take sick leave; lack of focus and productivity; impact of violence on children and academic failure; the rise in the percentage of school dropouts among children; the rise in long-term unemployment rates; the percentage of homeless children who become a burden on society; government expenditures for medical treatment; safehouses; therapy; monitoring cases of violence against women; individual expenses for following up on legal cases and lawyer fees; loss of income because of repeated absence from work or inefficacy; social expenses resulting from the breakup of the family; expenses of training individuals on how to deal with cases of violence; expenses for issuing laws and legislation on the protection of women from violence.

Confirmation of the above is that the UN believes the economic, social and health costs of violence against women are, to a large extent, undocumented and unrecognized. However, these remain colossal, according to researchers, specialists and defenders of women’s rights.

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Jerusalem, 13 June 2007- United Nations organisations working in the occupied Palestinian territory, are gravely concerned about the spiralling violence in the Gaza Strip, which has claimed 59 lives and caused 273 injuries since 9 June. This includes two UNRWA staff members who were killed today, one while on duty. UN organisations are particularly troubled by reports of attacks on hospitals, ambulances and extra-judicial killings, which raise concerns of serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

The UN is also concerned about the humanitarian consequences arising from the heavy street fighting which is preventing the civilian population from reaching essential health services and food outlets. The fighting is also hampering the UN’s ability to deliver emergency services, mainly food and health assistance. Militants have also engaged in gun battles inside two UNRWA facilities.

“There is a need for immediate efforts to restore calm, protect the lives of innocent Palestinians and ensure the safe and secure distribution of emergency aid,” said Kevin Kennedy, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the oPt. “The UN remains committed to continuing its humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip so that Palestinians in need can continue to receive assistance. The ongoing violence is putting our operations at risk.” he added.

United Nations organisations call upon all parties engaged in the current hostilities to exercise their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law and refrain from attacks on civilians, humanitarian institutions and carrying out extra-judicial killings.

At the same time, UN organisations call upon the Government of Israel and Palestinians to facilitate access to and from the Gaza Strip for humanitarian staff and relief supplies and ensure the continued operation of commercial and passenger crossing points.

For more information please contact
Juliette Touma, OCHA, 054-81555-46, 02-582-9962, toumaj@un.org
Allegra Pacheco, OCHA, 02-582-9962, pacheco6@un.org

Government Workers’ Strikes Escalate

During April further strikes, including amongst PA doctors, nurses, teachers and local municipal workers, continue to impact the provision of essential services. The strikes have continued in response to the non-regular payment of salaries.

Health sector strike:

The PA health sector remains on strike for the third month in the West Bank (a previous strike lasted for more than three months in 2006/07). The striking unions also announced an escalation in the strike from 28 April as no agreement was reached with the PA. The escalation calls for the closure of all Primary Healthcare Clinics (PHC), including for the limited immunisation services that until now had been provided every two weeks. Life saving treatment is only provided at hospitals.

Local municipalities strike:

In early April, local municipal employees in the Gaza Strip announced a reduction in services and two weeks later conducted a three-day strike (between 16 and 18 April) to protest the non-payment of their salaries. Strike action was suspended after the Palestinian (PM) Prime Minister agreed to provide USD 1 million in immediate cash assistance (however, staff salaries alone are estimated at USD 2 million per month). Striking workers demand payment of their salaries and for the PA to establish an emergency fund for municipalities.

The situation remains very volatile. A renewal of the strike could result in the accumulation of garbage and other hazardous waste on Gazan streets as well as impacting the functioning of the sewage and water networks. Over the course of the short strike in April thousands of tonnes of solid waste built up on Gaza city streets.

Threats of and rolling strikes in other sectors:

All PA employees held a one-day warning strike in the first week of April. In addition, PA teachers and Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) staff conducted full and partial strikes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip throughout the month.

Rising poverty and declining access to services in the wake of the PA institutional crisis.

A recent survey commissioned by Oxfam has found that 80% of the 667 households interviewed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip reported that their household income had been reduced in the year following the PA institutional crisis.1 More than half of the households surveyed said they had received allowances through the TIM. In Gaza, 53% said that their household income had fallen by more than half and 21% said their household income had stopped altogether (results were slightly less dramatic in the West Bank at 42% and 14% respectively).

The survey also found that households were resorting to negative coping mechanisms such as borrowing money, selling possessions, reducing healthcare and food consumption and taking children out of school. 88% of people interviewed also reported that their access to services had been affected, 52% stating that it had reduced by more than half. The survey also found that Palestinians are very pessimistic about their immediate future with 40% predicating that their situation would get worse.

Severe agricultural losses in Hebron Governorate

An unusual late frost this month in the Hebron governorate caused massive losses in the agricultural sector, particularly in the areas of Beit Ummar, Halhul, Hebron City, Sa’air and Wad Al Aroub, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA)2. Grape vines were the worst hit, impacting approximately 4,000 hectares of vineyards (or 70% of the total cultivated area for grapes). At least 30% of almond groves (covering an area of 2,700 hectares) were impacted. In addition, an estimated 2,000 hectares of crops including wheat grains and legumes were affected while losses in irrigated vegetables have reached 100% in some areas, especially in Al Beqa’ region, east of Hebron City.3 An estimated 6,000 of the poorest farmers have been impacted by the losses, with their situation exacerbated with the limited response of the PA due to the ongoing institutional crisis. FAO and the MoA are currently conducting a comprehensive assessment on the losses, to determine the appropriate response.

Continuous closures in and around Nablus city: expansion of Huwwara checkpoint

Palestinian residents of Nablus city continue to face severe closures as Nablus is encircled by eight IDF checkpoints, six Israeli settlements, two IDF military bases and a network of roads reserved primarily for Israeli use.

During April, only 10% of Nablus buses (22 out of 220) and 7% of Nablus taxis (150 out of 2,250) had permits to access and use the checkpoints. Only 50 private Palestinian cars were permitted to go in and out of the city. Consequently, most Palestinians go through the checkpoints on foot, and depend on two different vehicles – one at each side of the checkpoint – for their transportation. The IDF state that the closures are necessary to protect Israeli civilians.

The two main checkpoints, Huwwara and Beit Iba face long queues and delays. The IDF have recently started extensive construction work to expand Huwwara checkpoint into a terminal that will handle 700 people per hour according to the Israeli DCL in Nablus. The project is scheduled to finish in late summer 2007 and will cost approximately USD 2.3 million.

According to the IDF plan, there will be four lanes – three exit lanes and one entry lane – and a large parking lot on each side. Beit Iba checkpoint is also planned to be expanded although not to the same extent as Huwwara. According to the IDF, the upgrade to the checkpoints will reduce queues and delays. The UN remains concerned that IDF construction will make these internal checkpoints in the West Bank permanent.

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Rising Death Toll - Concern Over Deteriorating Situation

Update on Internal Palestinian Fighting:

Internal fighting in Gaza is now entering its fourth day with at least 37 dead and 114 injured since Sunday. This is the third round of intense factional fighting seen in Gaza this year leaving at least 128 Palestinians dead and 692 injured since 1 January 2007.

Following the killing of a senior Fatah leader on Sunday 13 May in Jabalia in northern Gaza, violence erupted throughout the Gaza Strip and particularly in Gaza city. Two attempted ceasefires collapsed within hours and fighting continued between Fatah forces and Hamas and its affiliated Executive Support Force (ESF). Today, fighting has taken place around security installations in Gaza city with few incidents reported elsewhere in northern, central and southern Gaza.

In one of the worst incidents, on 15 May, seven members of Fatah security forces were killed near Karni crossing when their jeep was hit by a rocket alleged to be fired by Hamas militants. This morning, the home of Fatah security chief, Rashid Abu Shbak was besieged by Hamas gunmen and at least five of Abu Shbak’s body guards were killed.

Update on Palestinian-Israeli Violence:

Israeli media has reported that 30 Qassam rockets were fired by Palestinian militias towards Sderot and the Western Negev in Israel in the last two days, resulting in 28 injuries, including two woman (one elderly) who both suffered moderate to serious wounds.

At around 2 pm today, Israeli Air Force jets fired missiles into an Executive Support Forces base in southern Gaza. Three ESF members were reported dead and 27 injured.

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UN agencies1 recently undertook an analysis of the humanitarian situation in the oPt. This update reports their findings.

1. IMMEDIATE TRENDS

Since the Palestinian elections in particular, there has been a sharp deterioration in humanitarian situation due to Israel’s tightening of security procedures.

• The Karni crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip – the main crossing for commercial and humanitarian supplies in and out of Gaza – closed for 21 days between 15 January and 5 February resulting in an estimated loss of $10.5 million.2

• The IDF stated that it closed Karni crossing because of security threats and concerns over the spread of avian flu.

• On 26 February, it was announced that all Gaza Strip flour mills would close as wheat grain stocks are depleted following the closure of Karni crossing.

• The price of sugar has increased by 25% since the closure of the Karni crossing. Current stocks are sufficient for four days.3

• Palestinian casualties have increased throughout the oPt in the month after the elections compared to the month before (at least 34 deaths compared with 15) while Israeli casualties remained the same (1 death prior and 1 death after).

• From 19 – 23 February, the IDF has made four incursions into three locations in Nablus city (Balata refugee camp, the Old City and Kafr Qalil). Eight Palestinians were killed (including three children – aged 17 years) and 32 were injured.

• In the past 4 weeks approximately six Qassam rockets / day have been fired into Israel. Israel has shelled the northern and eastern areas of Gaza with 20-23 artillery shells / day.

• In February, the number of Palestinian children in Israeli detention was 360, representing a 13% increase from January. The average throughout 2005 was 300.

• The number of structures demolished increased sharply since the elections – 48 were demolished since 25 January for lacking building permits.

• There has been a 25% increase in the number of physical obstacles (471 obstacles) blocking Palestinian movement in the West Bank – these include earthmounds, checkpoints, roadblocks, which the IDF states are imposed to protect Israel’s citizens – it compares with 376 in August 2005.

• There has been an acceleration of Israel’s plan to separate Palestinian and Israeli road systems within the West Bank. Palestinian traffic is being diverted from the Israeli restricted West Bank roads through a combination of physical obstacles, movement permits and road barriers. A series of tunnels and bridges separate Palestinians onto alternative roads to traverse Israelicontrolled Area C and Israeli restricted roads.

• These new obstacles have had a negative impact, restricting access to land, markets, services and social relations.

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