In a press conference held, Friday, at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), after his visit to the Gaza Strip, Holmes said that over 100 thousand Palestinians, whose houses were destroyed in the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, were left without homes or sources of income, have healthcare problems and are wondering what to do next.
He added that his visit was to see, first hand, the situation in
This flash appeal, according to Holmes, is to address different areas, including clean water and sanitation, electricity infrastructure and getting fuel to run the Gaza Power Plant. In addition, they will try to find temporary shelters for the 100 thousand displaces Palestinians until their houses are rebuilt.
Holmes affirmed that the Gaza Strip needs considerable efforts for the immediate recovery of the crisis it went through. The Gaza Strip needs economic development, because citizens there are more and more aid-dependent. Therefore; cooperation from the PNA is needed.
'We need crossing points movement much more open, and hopefully fully open,' he said, to allow aid workers, and aid material to get in.
Holmes continued on, saying that the attacks on the different UN institutions are to be investigated. He specified that the UN Human Rights Center is investigating 'the Israeli activities' in the Strip.
Concerning the use of white phosphorus, Holmes said that although its use is not banned in the international humanitarian law, it is banned to use it in crowded areas. He confirmed that it was used by the Israelis, yet, 'we need to know exactly how they used it.'
The Under-Secretary General regretted that journalists, as well as aid workers, are not being allowed into the Gaza Strip.
