Print
See related documents
Resolution 2142 (2017)
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza
1. The Parliamentary Assembly is extremely
concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza
and the lack of significant steps by the international community
and all parties involved to put an end to the hardship of the people
living in this territory.
2. Since the 2014 Israeli military operation in Gaza, the situation
has worsened significantly: over 2 200 people (including 551 children)
have died, of whom most were civilians; more than 11 000 people
have been injured; over 12 620 houses have been totally destroyed
and 6 455 severely damaged; and 28% of the population of Gaza has
been displaced.
3. The nine-year blockade of Gaza by both Israel and Egypt has
subjected its population to collective punishment in contravention
of international human rights and humanitarian law. Some 75 000
people are still displaced and 43% of Gaza’s population is unemployed,
a figure which rises to 60% among young people. In all, 80% of the
population relies on humanitarian assistance. The territory of Gaza
is suffering from an insufficient power supply and a lack of drinking
water. According to a recent report by the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Gaza is in danger of becoming
unlivable by 2020 as a result of severe damage to the coastal aquifer
and overall environmental degradation.
4. The humanitarian crisis is also characterised by the precarious
situation of the public health and education systems. The destruction
of hospitals and lack of drugs and medical equipment have led to
a significant increase in chronic diseases and cases of cancer,
and an urgent need for more surgeries. Many schools have been destroyed
or damaged and others are being used as emergency shelters for displaced persons.
5. The Assembly recalls its Resolution 1940 (2013) on the situation
in the Middle East and reiterates its unvarying position that only
a negotiated, two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
and the cessation of the construction of new settlements, or the
extension of old ones, on Palestinian territory can create the necessary
framework for the normalisation of the humanitarian situation in
Gaza and the promotion of Palestinian State-building. It encourages
the Government of Israel and the Palestinian National Authority
to start negotiations towards a mutual and full commitment to this
solution.
6. The Assembly considers that respect for the ceasefire should
be the main precondition for the normalisation of the lives of the
people in Gaza. To this end, it is important to upgrade security
co-operation between the Palestinian authorities and Israel in line
with the relevant articles of the Agreement on Movement and Access
of November 2005.
7. Significant progress in the reconstruction of property in
Gaza and the delivery of basic services for its economic development
can only be possible under a united Palestinian Authority, able
to ensure security and democratic governance in the Palestinian
territories.
8. The Assembly considers that a rapid solution to the Gaza humanitarian
crisis is essential to ensuring stability in the Middle East. The
lifting of the blockade by Israel and Egypt is a vital precondition
for the resolution of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and should
be facilitated by the international community through the creation
of security conditions necessary for the free movement of people
and goods. With this aim, a new international conference on the
reconstruction of Gaza should be called.
9. The Assembly considers that its member States, Israel and
the Palestinian authorities should mobilise all their efforts to
alleviate the humanitarian plight of the population of the Gaza
Strip and therefore calls on:
9.1. the
international community to:
9.1.1. ensure access to and
provision of medical and social services for the population of Gaza;
9.1.2. provide a sustainable solution concerning water and energy
supplies to Gaza;
9.1.3. speed up the construction of new schools to keep pace
with population growth;
9.1.4. allocate the required funding to the continuation of reconstruction
projects in order to provide adequate housing for displaced persons
in Gaza;
9.1.5. involve women from Israeli and Palestinian society in
the peace negotiations, as is mentioned in United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security;
9.1.6. provide special protection for women, children and disabled
people in Gaza;
9.1.7. give even greater priority to humanitarian advocacy, including
the collection of data on all incidents relating to violations of
humanitarian law;
9.1.8. urge both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to re-examine
school textbooks in the spirit of the study initiated by the Council
of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land, and published on 4 February
2013, with the aim of improving objectivity and eliminating material
which selectively reinforces each community’s national narrative;
9.2. the Israeli authorities to:
9.2.1. lift the blockade
of the Gaza Strip to ensure that the population has access to basic
and inalienable human rights;
9.2.2. prepare for the removal of the blockade by upgrading the
crossing point between Israel and Gaza at Kerem Shalom, and developing
further crossing points at Erez and Karni;
9.2.3. assist in facilitating Gaza’s exports to Israel, the West
Bank and beyond, particularly of agricultural products and textiles,
and enable Palestinian workers to seek employment in Israel;
9.2.4. refrain from blocking or suspending the transfer of taxes
due, or overdue, to the Palestinian Authority;
9.2.5. increase the supply of fresh water to Gaza until desalination
plants can be constructed;
9.2.6. reconsider the list of restricted materials for import
to Gaza with the aim of increasing the imported quantities of authorised
construction materials, computer equipment, vehicles and chemicals
for agriculture and the provision of water, along with adequate
monitoring to ensure that all relevant materials are used solely
for the purpose intended;
9.2.7. expand the fishing zone to 20 nautical miles, as provided
for under the Oslo Accords;
9.2.8. refrain from the use of force without justification against
Palestinian civilians in the buffer and fishing zones;
9.2.9. co-operate with the relevant Assembly rapporteurs by granting
them access to the territory of Gaza;
9.3. the Palestinian authorities to:
9.3.1. reject
and condemn acts of terrorism against Israel;
9.3.2. work to the best of their abilities to prevent the firing
of rockets and construction of tunnels into Israel;
9.3.3. form an effective and cohesive government, bridging the
two territories;
9.3.4. prepare a multi-annual action plan for Palestinian State-building;
9.3.5. combat all forms of discrimination against women and gender-based
violence;
9.3.6. use all means to promote women’s sexual and reproductive
health and rights, including education on the risks of early marriage
and the encouragement of child spacing;
9.3.7. promote women’s social and economic empowerment;
9.3.8. sign and respect an agreement with Israel concerning the
water supply in Gaza.
10. The Assembly urges the State of Israel and the Palestinian
Authority to fully co-operate with the International Criminal Court’s
preliminary examination of the situation in Gaza, which started
on 16 January 2015. It also urges its member States to support a
possible future official examination by the International Criminal
Court, if the preliminary findings show that there are reasonable
grounds for doing so.
11. The Assembly also calls on its member States to provide the
necessary resources to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the United Nations Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for their emergency
assistance projects in Gaza.
12. The Assembly considers that it is vitally important to facilitate
the work of international and national non-governmental organisations
which are providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza and to improve
the co-ordination of their activities. The work of human rights
organisations should also be facilitated.