Rachel Schaevitz

Epidemic risk rising as Rafah invasion compounds lethal cocktail of over-crowding, sewage and hunger

May 14, 2024

Israeli military attacks since October caused at least $210m worth of damage to Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure.

The destruction of critical water and sanitation infrastructure by the Israeli forces along with severe over-crowding, malnutrition and heat is pushing Gaza to the brink of a deadly epidemic outbreak, Oxfam warned today. The situation is further compounded by the Israeli invasion of Rafah which has forced over
350,000 people to flee to already overcrowded shelters and camps, and food and fuel are running out with the closure of border crossings.The international aid agency said at least five of its life-saving water and sanitation projects in the Gaza Strip had been severely damaged or destroyed in the Israeli attacks since 7 October. Oxfam staff in Gaza have described piles of human waste and rivers of sewage in the streets, which people are having to jump between. They also reported people having to drink dirty water and children being bitten by insects swarming around the sewage.

Conditions are ripe for the outbreak of epidemics including Hepatitis A and cholera, which thrive in overcrowded places lacking proper sanitation. Soaring temperatures are also increasing health risks. Oxfam’s Middle East Director, Sally Abi Khalil, said: “The situation is desperate, with so many people in Gaza living in fear and being forced to endure inhumane and unsanitary conditions caused by sustained Israeli bombardment. One colleague told me there was so much human waste in the streets, it literally smelt like disease. “Israel’s military assault on Rafah could be devastating, not only because of the risk of mass civilian casualties, but also the repercussions of vast numbers of people being forced to move. With the infrastructure already beyond breaking point, little or no healthcare available, and widespread malnutrition this could quickly escalate into a major epidemic.”

One of Oxfam’s partners in Gaza, Juzoor for Health and Social Development – which is operating in more than 50 shelters and numerous health points across North Gaza and serving hundreds of thousands of people – said they’ve seen a worrying rise in disease outbreaks. Celine Maayeh, Advocacy and Research Officer for Juzoor, said: “Unfortunately, all of our shelters lack proper sanitation and sewage systems, and just a few days ago we started hearing reports of areas in Gaza being infested with bugs and flies. Our health teams have been dealing with skin infections and cases of watery diarrhoea for months now; and we’ve recently detected thousands of cases of hepatitis A and other gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. While we’ve managed to treat them, the rising temperatures and accumulating waste and sewage are creating the perfect recipe for a health catastrophe that our health teams alone cannot tackle.”

UNICEF analysis of satellite images found that in Gaza Governate 87 per cent of critical water and sanitation facilities have been destroyed or severely damaged. Across Gaza, at least five of Oxfam’s projects – three wells, a desalination plant and a sewage pumping station have been destroyed or severely damaged that served over 180,700 people a day. A further seven Oxfam water or sanitation projects are also believed to have sustained some degree of damage. Israeli airstrikes also destroyed the warehouse of one of Oxfam’s local suppliers with the loss of an estimated $60,000 worth of Oxfam latrine blocks – purpose-built toilet and shower facilities, which were due to help improve sanitary conditions for thousands of people.

Attacks which target civilian infrastructure are illegal under the Geneva Conventions. The extensive damage to water and sanitation infrastructure is one example of the Israeli military’s relentless assault on Gaza, which according to UN experts, may amount to breaches of International Humanitarian Law. The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), which is responsible for water and sanitation in Gaza and with whom Oxfam works, estimates the overall damage to Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure to be at least $210 million. This is based on assessments where their technical staff were able carry out field surveys and does not include damage in areas which cannot be reached due to the ongoing fighting or Israeli military restrictions. The estimate also does not account for all of the ‘unseen damage’ which is likely to have been caused by the Israeli military’s use of tanks, bombs and rockets.

Monther Shoblaq, CEO of CMWU said: “The entire water supply and sewage management systems are nearing total collapse because the damage is so extensive. There is no power to operate the water wells, desalination plants and the remaining wastewater treatment plants and the sewage is overflowing. We are doing all we can, but the situation is desperate.”

Despite the extremely hostile conditions, Oxfam and its local partners have been able to carry out quick fix repairs on some badly damaged water and wastewater pipelines in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah governorates, providing 50,000 people with clean water and sanitation. In one area of Rafah, before the invasion, almost 200 metres of new pipelines were fitted. Oxfam and its partners have also installed five desalination units to provide clean
drinking water, and three more units have finally been given permission to enter Gaza, after long and repeated attempts. Life-saving water has been trucked to people in makeshift shelters in Rafah and Khan Younis and Oxfam is hoping to expand this to reach more people in the North.

To date, Oxfam’s work on water and sanitation has helped over 133,000 people and more funding is needed to continue.
Sally Abi Khalil, said: “The Israeli army has continued to destroy every aspect of life in Gaza through military attacks and siege, ruining what little civilian infrastructure remains and preventing humanitarian aid from getting in. We urgently need an immediate and permanent ceasefire to end the death and destruction, to allow more aid into Gaza and to ensure the release of the hostages and illegally detained Palestinian prisoners.”

Notes to editors:
• A UNOSAT satellite imagery analysis released in mid-January, carried out by UNICEF on behalf of the Water and Sanitation Cluster, shows that 87 per cent of WASH facilities in Gaza governorate were either destroyed or sustained some level of damage, according to OCHA.
• According to UNRWA, almost 360,000 people have fled Rafah since the first evacuation order a week ago.
• According to an assessment carried out by The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility – using field surveys and data collected from technical staff in 25 municipal areas who made a preliminary recording of visible and urgent damage in areas they have been able to access – the cost of repairs, as of April 2024, would be at least $210 million. Cost estimates may increase due un-seen damages under the mass debris.
• Juzoor’s teams of health professionals have been monitoring the situation in the North of Gaza and utilizing the WHO’s diagnosis kits and treatment protocols. Juzoor medical points have been able to successfully handle 99 percent of cases that present with recognizable
symptoms, ensuring optimal care. For severe cases, Juzoor refer individuals to secondary treatment facilities and arrange for hospital admission.

Oxfam Celebrates the Final Trailwalker event in New Zealand

May 8, 2024

Since 2006, over 21,000 New Zealanders have taken part in this incredible endurance team event while fundraising for Oxfam Aotearoa.

The final Trailwalker event was held at the end of March 2024 in New Plymouth, and successfully raised more than $505,000 NZD .

These vital funds support Oxfam’s work throughout the Pacific, including water projects in Papua New Guinea that help make sure girls can stay in school, and climate change adaptation projects in Solomon Islands that help support families whose homes and livelihoods are being destroyed by rising seas.

Ange Janse van Rensburg, Oxfam Aotearoa’s Head of Public Fundraising completed the 100km walk in 2015 and again in 2018. She said, “I have been privileged to walk and help deliver this iconic event and it is among some of the best things I have ever done. We are proud of this event’s achievement toward supporting communities and families in the Pacific and worldwide and are thankful to the incredible participants who made this happen.”

Some first-time walkers jumped at this last chance to be a part of this legendary event, while others who have done several Trailwalkers in the past, felt drawn to celebrate alongside so many volunteers and staff who have completed five, ten, even fifteen events over the years. The City Girls, a team of four women from Putāraru, Tīrau, Whitianga and Auckland walked in the first event in 2006, and completed the 25km distance this year. They estimate they have raised close to $50,000 for Oxfam over the years, and were honoured for their contributions at the final prize-giving ceremony.

Walkers in this final event said they felt proud to participate in the good work that Oxfam does around the world, “we’re a little tiny piece of that, but that’s good enough for us!”

While the event may be over, Oxfam’s incredible work throughout the Pacific continues. Anyone who would like to keep up with Oxfam’s updates is encouraged to visit https://www.oxfam.org.nz/newsletter-sign-up/

Oxfam Aotearoa’s Executive Director, Jason Myers, added “We are beyond grateful for Aotearoa’s support of this event over the past 18 years. This final event was an incredible celebration of all the hard work, dedication, and kilometres put in that has gotten us to where we are today.”

Oxfam reaction to attack on community center operated by Oxfam’s partner in Kharkiv

May 8, 2024

In reaction to Russia’s attack on a community centre operated by Oxfam’s partner “Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv” yesterday, Nicola Bay, Oxfam’s Organisational Lead for Ukraine, said:

“We are appalled by this attack. Community hubs run by our partner have supported over 60,000 people in Kharkiv region – including women, children and elderly people– with food, water and safe heated spaces.

“Attacking civilian infrastructure, including those of civil society organisations that provide lifesaving assistance to people, is against international humanitarian law.

“Our teams and partners continue to work under extremely difficult conditions. Constant bombardments on our operations, mean cutting the lifeline of aid for thousands of people.

“Oxfam urges all warring parties to respect international humanitarian law, including ensuring the protection of civilians and aid workers.”

Notes to editors

Oxfam is responding to this humanitarian crisis by primarily working with local civil society organisations who are already supporting communities impacted by the war. In both Ukraine and in neighbouring countries, we have supported 40 organisations and reached over 2 million people since the war escalated in February 2022
As of February 2024, Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv in partnership with Oxfam have reached over 61,000 individuals through their community hubs, based in multiple locations in the Kharkiv region, 71% were women and girls.
The community hub that was attacked was in city of Zolochiv, in the Kharkiv region.
Since Feb 2022, Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv have prepared 2.6m hot meals and distributed 170,000 food sets for adults and 10,220 food sets for children

Oxfam Aotearoa Launches HAMRIIK Project to Strengthen Climate Change Resilience in Rural Timor-Leste

April 20, 2024

Oxfam launched the new HAMRIIK project in Oé-Cusse, Timor-Leste in April 2024. The project, named after the Tetum word meaning ‘to stand,’ aims to bolster the climate change adaptation capacities of households and communities in rural Timor-Leste and effectively address the intersections between gender, disability, and climate change.

This $1.76 million NZD initiative is fully funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme, through their Climate Finance for Community Resilience programme which aims to enhance community resilience and adaptation to climate change across the Pacific and Asia.

“Oxfam Aotearoa is delighted to be further strengthening our relationship with Oxfam in TImor-Leste and local partners in the area through the launch of HAMRIIK,” said Jason Myers, Executive Director of Oxfam Aotearoa.

“By working at a household level, HAMRIIK will complement existing work we are partnering to deliver in Timor Leste that sits at the intersection of climate and gender justice,” he added.

This initiative targets vulnerable rural households in Oé-Cusse and Liquiçá, areas that are particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Through a multifaceted approach, the project will:

Provide skills and materials to promote climate-smart agriculture and enhance water security.
Strengthen local partner organisations’ capacity to deliver climate change programmes that remove structural barriers and address injustices such as unequal rights between women and men.
Work with local authorities to incorporate equity considerations into climate adaptation planning and action

The project aims to directly engage with 652 women and 791 men, including 274 persons with disabilities, ultimately reaching a total of 7,800 individuals across 12 sucos (villages) in Oé-Cusse and Liquiçá municipalities.

“OXFAM’s HAMRIIK project aims to support these communities, especially women, in enhancing their resilience to climate change through collaboration with civil society organisations. This initiative seeks to empower rural communities, enabling them to influence and contribute to climate policies affecting their lives,” said Oxfam International Country Director for Timor-Leste, Mr. Fausto Belo Ximenes.

“I would like to thank the Government of New Zealand for its continued support to the Timorese people and the Government of Timor-Leste especially RAEOA authorities for their collaboration, as Oxfam reaffirms its commitment to fostering a just, sustainable, and inclusive Timor-Leste,” he added.

Through generating evidence and promoting inclusive practices, HAMRIIK seeks to equip decision-makers and civil society partners with the insights and skills needed to address the challenges of climate change adaptation in a way that effectively addresses gender justice, is inclusive of people with disabilities, and strengthens local partner capacity.

Contact information

Rachel Schaevitz | [email protected] | +64 27 959 5555

Starvation as weapon of war being used against Gaza civilians

October 26, 2023

Starvation as weapon of war being used against Gaza civilians – Oxfam

Just 2 per cent of usual food delivered to Gaza since siege imposed

Starvation is being used as a weapon of war against Gaza civilians, Oxfam said today as it renewed its call for food, water, fuel and other essentials to be allowed to enter. The international agency analysed UN data and found that just 2 per cent of food that would have been delivered has entered Gaza since the total siege – which tightened the existing blockade – was imposed on 9 October; following the atrocious attacks by Hamas and the taking of Israeli civilian hostages. While a small amount of food aid has been allowed in, no commercial food imports have been delivered.

As the escalation of the conflict extends to its 19th day, a staggering 2.2 million people are now in urgent need of food. Prior to the hostilities, 104 trucks a day would deliver food to the besieged Gaza Strip, one truck every 14 minutes. Despite 62 trucks of aid being allowed to enter southern Gaza via the Rafah crossing since the weekend, only 30 contained food and in some cases, not exclusively so. This amounts to just one truck every three hours and 12 minutes since Saturday.

Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Regional Middle East Director said: “The situation is nothing short of horrific – where is humanity? Millions of civilians are being collectively punished in full view of the world, there can be no justification for using starvation as a weapon of war. World leaders cannot continue to sit back and watch, they have an obligation to act and to act now.

“Every day the situation worsens. Children are experiencing severe trauma from the constant bombardment, their drinking water is polluted or rationed and soon families may not be able to feed them too. How much more are Gazans expected to endure?”

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) strictly prohibits the use of starvation as a method of warfare and as the occupying power in Gaza, Israel is bound by IHL obligations to provide for the needs and protection of the population of Gaza. In 2018, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2417, which unanimously condemned the use of starvation against civilians as a method of warfare and declared any denial of humanitarian access a violation of international law. Oxfam said that it is becoming painfully clear that the unfolding humanitarian situation in Gaza squarely fits the prohibition condemned in the resolution.

Clean water has now virtually run out. It’s estimated that only three litres of clean water are now available per person – the UN said that a minimum of 15 litres a day is essential for people in the most acute humanitarian emergencies as a bare minimum. Bottled water stocks are running low and the cost of bottled water has already surged beyond the reach of an average Gaza family, with prices spiking fivefold in some places. A spokesperson for the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNWRA) pointed out that some of the food aid allowed in – rice and lentils – is useless, because people do not have clean water or fuel to prepare them. A series of airstrikes have left several bakeries and supermarkets either destroyed or damaged. Those that are still functional, can’t meet the local demand for fresh bread and are at risk of shutting down due to the shortage of essentials like flour and fuel. Gaza’s only operative wheat mill is redundant due to the power outages. The Palestinian Water Authority says Gaza’s water production is now a mere 5 per cent of its normal total, which is expected to reduce further, unless water and sanitation facilities are provided with electricity or fuel to resume its activity.

Notably, essential food items, like flour, oil and sugar, are still stocked in warehouses that haven’t been destroyed. But as many of them are located in Gaza city, it is proving physically impossible to deliver items due to the lack of fuel, damaged roads and risks from airstrikes.

The electricity blackout has also disrupted food supplies by affecting refrigeration, crop irrigation, and crop incubation devices. Over 15,000 farmers have lost their crop production and 10,000 livestock breeders have little access to fodder, with many having lost their animals. Oxfam said that the siege, combined with the airstrikes, has crippled the fishing industry with hundreds of people who rely on fishing losing access to the sea. Oxfam is urging the UN Security Council and UN Member States to act immediately to prevent the situation from deteriorating even further. And is calling for an immediate ceasefire, unfettered, equitable access to the entire Gaza Strip for humanitarian aid, and all necessary food, water, medical and fuel supplies for the needs of the population to be met.

ENDS.

For more information and interviews, please contact:
Roslyn Boatman (Tunisia) +216 29076086 / [email protected]
Lisa Rutherford (UK) +44 (0)7917 791 836 / [email protected]

Notes to editor:
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) data on food deliveries to Gaza prior to the siege can be found here – this includes both humanitarian food aid and imports
OCHA updates show that a total of 62 trucks of aid have been allowed to enter Gaza via the
Rafah crossing from Saturday 21 – Tuesday 24 October.
Saturday 21 October – 20 trucks entered via Rafah, 5 of which contained food.
Sunday 22 October – 14 trucks entered via Rafah, 12 of which contained food.
Monday 23 October – 20 trucks entered, 11 of which contained food.
Tuesday 24 October- 8 trucks entered, 2 of which contained food.
UN Security Council resolution UNSC 2417 – Protection of civilians in armed conflict

Oxfam reaction to G7 Communique

June 14, 2021

Oxfam campaigners pose as G7 leaders on Swanpool Beach near Falmouth

Max Lawson, Head of Inequality Policy at Oxfam, said:

“This G7 summit will live on in infamy. Faced with the biggest health emergency in a century and a climate catastrophe that is destroying our planet, they have completely failed to meet the challenges of our times. Never in the history of the G7 has there been a bigger gap between their actions and the needs of the world. In the face of these challenges the G7 have chosen to cook the books on vaccines and continue to cook the planet. We don’t need to wait for history to judge this summit a colossal failure, it is plain for all to see.”

Vaccines

“Today the G7 leaders have failed to protect millions of people from the deadly threat of COVID-19. They say they want to vaccinate the world by the end of next year, but their actions show they care more about protecting the monopolies and patents of pharmaceutical giants.

“A billion vaccine doses would have been a drop in the bucket, but they didn’t even manage that. Sharing vaccines will only get us so far – we need all G7 nations to follow the lead of the US, France and over 100 other nations in backing a waiver on intellectual property. By holding vaccine recipes hostage, the virus will continue raging out of control in developing countries and put millions of lives at risk.

“Prime Minister Johnson and Chancellor Merkel are insisting on defending the monopolies of pharmaceutical companies over people’s lives, which is completely inexcusable.

Special Drawing Rights

“We welcome the new proposal for rich countries to reallocate $100 billion of their Special Drawing Rights to lower-income nations. This will help to even up the mammoth disparity between how much rich and poor nations will be allocated. The additional finance is desperately needed, but it is vital that it is provided as additional to existing aid targets and on grant-like terms instead of loans. Otherwise it risks exacerbating the debt situation that is overwhelming many countries.”

Climate

“It is unacceptable that most of the G7 missed the opportunity to make new pledges of climate finance. Developing countries were looking for progress on this front ahead of landmark climate talks in Glasgow. Vague promises of new financing for green development projects should not distract from this goal.

“Today’s announcement represents new calculations of old pledges to cut emissions. We will be watching closely whether G7 countries bring forward new targets in the coming months. We need to see a Herculean effort to cut emissions further and faster, and to hit the long-overdue target of $100 billion per year in climate finance, with half of this amount for adaptation.”

/Ends

To arrange an interview with an Oxfam spokesperson contact:
David Bull | Oxfam Aotearoa | [email protected]