JERUSALEM,  June 9, 2010 (WAFA)- “Tragedy struck as the international community failed to put enough pressure on Israel to put an end to the policy of blockade, this flotilla would not have been needed, had the Israeli blockade not debilitated Gaza’s economy and prevented desperately needed humanitarian supplies from entering the territory”, said Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam.

While the full details of the situation remain unclear, nine civilians were reportedly killed and many others injured. Goods carried by the Freedom Flotilla reportedly included cement, generators, wheelchairs, medicine, clothes, blankets, and toys.

On May 31, Israeli forces attacked the flotilla carrying civilians and humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters.

Oxfam called for an emergency international conference, settling for no less than the lifting of the blockade of Gaza. Despite a very modest relaxation on the entry of some supplies into Gaza in the past months, entry of major essential goods like materials for reconstruction remains in limited quantities or is barred. Contrary to what the Israeli government states, the humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza is only a fraction of what is needed to answer the enormous needs of an exhausted population.

5 Palestinians were reportedly killed this week and one 65 year old woman – was reported injured as a result of Israeli military operations in Gaza. Last week there were reports of 16 Palestinians injured. No Israeli casualties were reported this week or last week.

 2 incidents of Israeli naval vessels firing at Palestinian fishermen were reported this week. The previous week, 2 incidents were reported. Since January 2009, Israeli naval forces have restricted the access of Palestinian fishing boats to three nautical miles from the coast; in practice, access is sometimes restricted to as little as one nautical mile, Oxfam said.

1 Palestinian was reportedly killed and 2 injured in a tunnel collapse under the Gaza-Egypt border this week. Last week, 6 Palestinians, including a 17-year old boy, were reportedly killed in a tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border and 12 were reported injured after a gas cylinder exploded. So far in 2010, 27 Palestinians have died and 48 others have been injured in tunnel-related incidents, including air strikes, tunnel collapses, electrocution and the explosion of gas cylinders.

The Rafah border crossing with Egypt was officially open 4 out of 7 days this week for medical cases, students and those with visas for third countries. Following the death of civilians aboard the Gaza flotilla, Egyptian authorities exceptionally opened the border in both directions for humanitarian cases and aid for an unspecified period of time. During those 4 days, 1,795 people left, 907 entered. Last week, the Rafah crossing was officially closed but people crossed on 4 out of 7 days, with 45 people who left, 748 who entered Gaza. In addition, on the day of the opening, 13 electrical generators for a hospital and 5 truckloads of clothing, bed sheets, blankets, tents and shoes were allowed into Gaza by Egyptian authorities (OCHA, June1). So far in 2010, the crossing has been officially open four times only.

944,470 liters of industrial fuel were delivered this week for Gaza’s power plant. This is only 27% of the 3.5 million liters of fuel needed weekly at the current maximum capacity of 80Mw. There were no deliveries on 31 May following the incident with the Gaza flotilla. Last week, 1,063 million liters of industrial fuel were transferred.

Imports of industrial fuel have steeply declined since the end of November 2009, when the European Commission transferred responsibility for buying industrial fuel to operate Gaza’s power plant to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority.

748 tons of cooking gas reportedly entered Gaza this week, 43% of the normal weekly level of need of 1,750 tons. There were no deliveries on 31 May following the incident with the Gaza flotilla. 871 tons of cooking gas were reported to have entered Gaza last week. The overall cooking gas shortage has been a main concern for humanitarian agencies since November 2009.

Around 45,000 liters of petrol for UNRWA entered Gaza this week; no diesel was delivered. Entry of commercial petrol and diesel continues to be banned through the official crossings between Gaza and Israel. Small amounts of fuel destined for the open market have been allowed into Gaza from Israel on five occasions since a total ban on fuel imports for public sale was put in place by the Government of Israel in October 2008. Around 100,000 liters of diesel and 100,000 liters of petrol are reported to enter Gaza each day through tunnels under the Gaza- Egypt border (OCHA, 4 May 2010).

464 truckloads of supplies were permitted entry through Kerem Shalom and the Karni conveyor this week. This is the equivalent of 35% of the pre-blockade weekly average of all trucks entering Gaza. There were no deliveries on 31 May following the incident with the Gaza flotilla. 631 trucks were allowed into Gaza during the previous week.

Limited quantities of construction materials continued to enter Gaza. 6 truckloads of glass, 12 truckloads of wood and 1 truckload of aluminum were permitted entry into Gaza this week. Last week, 3 truckloads of glass, 15 of wood and 6 of aluminum were allowed in. In addition, 41 truckloads of clothing and footwear entered Gaza (43 were allowed in as last week).

This week, 13 mini-buses and three ambulances purchased by UNRWA were allowed into Gaza; this is the second time since the imposition of the blockade in June 2007 that such items bought by UNRWA are allowed in (OCHA, 1 June). Also two truckloads of iron and cement were delivered to the Palestinian Red Cross. Entry of other major essential goods, including materials for reconstruction, furniture, livestock, IT equipment and vehicles, remain either restricted to limited quantities, or barred from entry.

No exports left Gaza this week. Between December 10 2009 and April 18 2010, a total of 118 truckloads of exports left Gaza, including 85 truckloads of cut flowers and 33 truckloads of strawberries. Prior to this, there had been no exports from Gaza since 27 April 2009.