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Last update - 14:11 30/06/2006
UN aid chief warns Gaza is on the verge of humanitarian crisis
By The Associated Press

Gaza is three days away from a deadly humanitarian crisis unless Israel promptly restores fuel and electricity to the densely populated area after its offensive to free an abducted soldier, the United Nations aid chief warned on Thursday.

"They are heading for the abyss unless they get electricity and fuel restored," said Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, who also urged the Palestinians to free the soldier and clamp down on militants firing rockets into Israel.

Without clean water in the hot summer weather, "we would in days see a major humanitarian crisis," he said. Military action targeting innocent civilians violates international humanitarian law, he added.
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"I am confident that neither of the two want to see a massive increase in mortality in the Gaza," where children make up about half of the area's 1.4 million people, Egeland told a small group of reporters.

At the heart of the crisis, he said, was Israel's bombing of Gaza's sole power plant, which supplies about 40 percent of the area's electricity. The remaining power comes from Israel.

An estimated 130 Gaza wells require electricity to pump water, and while some have backup pumps that run on diesel fuel, Israel has allowed no fuel to flow into Gaza for four days, leaving it dependent on emergency supplies expected to last another three days.

Egeland, who as Norway's deputy foreign minister helped orchestrate secret 1992 talks between Israel and the Palestinians that led to the Oslo accords, lamented that both sides in the conflict appeared intent on perpetuating an endless cycle of violence.

"They are locked in a situation where they do their utmost to cut the bridges between them and create hatred that bodes ill for the future," he said. "Why do they do things that are so counter to their own interests?"

Red Cross looks to send medical supplies to Gaza
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), concerned about escalating Middle East violence, called on Friday for Israel to allow urgent medical supplies into Gaza.

Dorothea Krimitsas, ICRC spokeswoman, said Israel was obliged under international law - including the Geneva Conventions - to ensure that humanitarian supplies reach Palestinian civilians.

Israel Air Force fighter jets pounded Gaza on Friday, setting ablaze the Interior Ministry office of the Hamas-led Palestinian government in a widening military effort to secure the release of a soldier captured last Sunday.

"We are negotiating with Israel to allow in humanitarian aid. These are essential medicines and medical supplies for the Palestinian Red Crescent," Krimitsas told Reuters.

"We are concerned at the humanitarian consequences of the escalation of violence and closure of crossing points to Gaza, especially the Karni crossing," she added.

The ICRC is also anxious to deliver food packages and household items for Palestinian families, some of whom have had their homes destroyed, according to Krimitsas.

"Under international law, Israel has the obligation to allow humanitarian supplies into Gaza. It also has the duty to ensure that the vital supplies for the population, including food and medicine, are adequate," she said.

Israeli strikes have knocked out bridges, water systems and a major power transformer in the densely populated Gaza Strip, home to 1.4 million Palestinians.

Hospitals, hard-hit by the loss of electricity, have to use generators for power, consuming precious fuel, Krimitsas said.

"We are worried about the fuel stocks. Palestinian authorities have estimated that they have enough for about 7 to 10 days," she added.
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  1.   Dafur is Humanitarian crisis-Gazans all overweight 01:43  |  Alan 30/06/06
  2.   Again? 01:49  |  Gina 30/06/06
  3.   Collective Punishment of Civilians is a War Crime 01:52  |  Samed 30/06/06
  4.   uh, this is war isn`t it 01:57  |  n 30/06/06
  5.   Just give back the lad 02:09  |  peter 30/06/06
  6.   Egeland is Mistaken 02:12  |  Dovy 30/06/06
  7.   Sad but necessary 02:53  |  Ofer 30/06/06
  8.   Samed 02:55  |  Ben 30/06/06
  9.   The world must act and act now 02:55  |  James Miller 30/06/06
  10.   This is Nazi stuff 02:56  |  Amir 30/06/06
  11.   Blowing up busses is a clearer Crime isn`t it? 02:58  |  robert 30/06/06
  12.   They are heading for an abyss alright! 03:00  |  Avi 30/06/06
  13.   What Needs To Happen 03:05  |  Joseph 30/06/06
  14.   The UN does not really give a damn 03:09  |  Avi 30/06/06
  15.   Genocide of children 03:15  |  Osborne Reed 30/06/06
  16.   The Israeli Army`s Assault on Gaza was Sinful! 03:19  |  Dutch 30/06/06
  17.   To Samed #2 03:19  |  NE 30/06/06
  18.   No one wants to live side-by-side with the Pals 03:24  |  Avram 30/06/06
  19.   Jan, They have abducted wounded soldier from Israel sov- 03:28  |  ruch 30/06/06
  20.   Humanitarian Crisis 03:29  |  Philippe 30/06/06
  21.   Gina # 1 03:32  |  Philippe 30/06/06
  22.   The UN, Amir 03:46  |  Andrew 30/06/06
  23.   Too Bad 03:57  |  Yoram 30/06/06
  24.   Crisis what crisis? 03:57  |  peter 30/06/06
  25.   Targeting civilian facilities is not war on terror - it is terror 04:07  |  Roi 30/06/06
  26.   One side is going to lose 04:17  |  David 30/06/06
  27.   Gaza is on verge of humanitarian crisis ? 04:21  |  Dr. Ezra Mizrahi 30/06/06
  28.   uh, this is war isn`t it 04:27  |  Launchpad 30/06/06
  29.   #2 Samed 04:32  |  Giora Sedman 30/06/06
  30.   Bombing electric plant is criminal 04:41  |  Fed Up 30/06/06
  31.   UN at it again 04:45  |  An Australian 30/06/06
  32.   The Kalashnikovs began with Oslo 05:12  |  Solomon 30/06/06
  33.   To n from W. D.C. 05:13  |  Muhammad-Ali 30/06/06
  34.   Clearly identifying the root cause from the symptoms 05:13  |  Doris Fat Again 30/06/06
  35.   To Avi 05:16  |  Muhammad-Ali 30/06/06
  36.   to Ruch from HA 05:21  |  Muhammad-Ali 30/06/06
  37.   One side is going to lose 05:22  |  David 30/06/06
  38.   Cancer treatments are painful but Cancer is the cause 05:39  |  Umm El Kul Naqba 30/06/06
  39.   #16 Dutch - Might provides means, Terror gives us the Right 05:56  |  Umm El Kul Naqba 30/06/06
  40.   Egland misguided, at the least 05:57  |  Jenna 30/06/06
  41.   Humanitarian crisis in Gaza 06:01  |  Shmuelshachor 30/06/06
  42.   Sinful Doris 06:14  |  BRANT 30/06/06
  43.   Amir #10 06:16  |  GPS 30/06/06
  44.   Muhammad-Ali 06:23  |  GOS 30/06/06
  45.   to Muhammad-Ali 06:27  |  LK 30/06/06
  46.   Humanitarian crises solution 06:35  |  Nat Weinstein 30/06/06
  47.   Humanitarian Issues 06:54  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/06/06
  48.   No water? 07:09  |  Elan 30/06/06
  49.   Whether we like it or not, it is a crisis 07:37  |  SB 30/06/06
  50.   Here we go again 07:45  |  King Fisher - Charle 30/06/06
  51.   Shame shame 07:58  |  Rachel 30/06/06
  52.   To Osborne Reed #15 and the rest of the righteous 08:09  |  McR of Tlv 30/06/06
  53.   Ezra #24 08:10  |  Frank Lee 30/06/06
  54.   electric shocks 08:29  |  ron 30/06/06
  55.   "Are we not Jews?" 08:59  |  Andreas 30/06/06
  56.   Gazans should decide `War or compromise (return Shalit save)` 08:59  |  arthur 30/06/06
  57.   Gazans should decide `War or compromise (return Shalit save)` 08:59  |  arthur 30/06/06
  58.   Collective Punishment 09:10  |  Robert 30/06/06
  59.   The ghetto that is Gaza 09:31  |  Clickfool 30/06/06
  60.   we should treat then as we treat the insane 09:31  |  mike 30/06/06
  61.   Sharon 09:36  |  NYCBoy 30/06/06
  62.   SHAME SHAME was for Rachel 09:38  |  NYCBoy 30/06/06
  63.   Reply #2: Hamas in Fatah OUT 09:52  |  Ghandi 30/06/06
  64.   Norway unwilling to give up on whaling wants Israel to capitualat 10:24  |  Absolute Sweden 30/06/06
  65.   On clickfools and vile analogies - #59 10:25  |  Kate 30/06/06
  66.   Osborne Reed and genocide 10:28  |  Kate 30/06/06
  67.   49 SB - Good Sentiments 10:32  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/06/06
  68.   #15, I assume we`ll be getting an apology tomorrow 10:36  |  Danny - Israeli one 30/06/06
  69.   @33 Muhamed Ali 11:07  |  ChanahS 30/06/06
  70.   #42 BRANT, 11:13  |  Dutch 30/06/06
  71.   Clickfool 11:14  |  ChanahS 30/06/06
  72.   Qassam on electricity power plant 11:15  |  Freddy 30/06/06
  73.   For Kate