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Saeb Erekat. (Archives) Last update - 17:54 20/06/2007 UN: Gaza could face shortage of basic foods within 2-4 weeks By News Agencies The Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip could start running out of flour, rice, edible oil and other commodities in 2-4 weeks unless Israel reopens the border crossings, the United Nations said Wednesday. Gaza's crossings with border countries Israel and Egypt, including the Rafah Crossings in the south, the Karni commercial passage in the center and the Erez Crossing in the north, have been closed since late last week when Hamas assumed full control over the Strip after five days of fighting with the rival Fatah party. Concerned Gazans have been stocking up on essentials, fearing the crossings with remain shut. The World Food Program estimates flour prices have risen 40 percent. Advertisement Israel plans to cut off all but humanitarian and basic supplies to the coastal strip, home to 1.5 million people, senior Israeli and Western officials said. Most freight passes through the Karni crossing from Israel. "The re-opening of Karni crossing is vital to prevent general food shortages in 2-4 weeks," the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report. Seven truckloads of emergency food and three truckloads of medical supplies entered Gaza on Tuesday, and the report said the World Food Program hoped to move 10 truckloads per day into Gaza through one of Israel's main border crossings. The UN agency which provides emergency food assistance to 850,000 Gaza refugees could run out of wheat flour reserves in 10 days, the report said. The World Food Program, which provides food assistance to 275,000 people who are not refugees, has seven days' worth of emergency food stocks left in Gaza. Access to basic food items has become more difficult for the 87 percent of Gazans now living below the poverty line of $2.40 in income per day. The report said fuel supplies for hospital generators and ambulances will be exhausted within one week unless payments to Israeli providers are ensured. Western diplomats and aid groups say Israel is trying to find indirect channels in order to coordinate humanitarian issues with the Hamas administration in Gaza. Israel will not deal with Hamas directly because the group has refused to recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals. Earlier Wednesday, senior Fatah official Saeb Erekat told a news conference in Ramallah that Gaza's residents need 450 tons of food each day to have enough in stock to last nine days. The press conference was held after Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas placed Erekat in charge of coordinating the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza with Israel via third parties, including the World Food Program, the World Health Organization and the Red Cross. Warning of a "catastrophe" in Gaza, he spoke of a "dire" economic situation in the Strip which was becoming "very serious." He said Gaza needed 11 tons of sugar a day and had enough left for seven days. The Gaza Strip consumes 77 tons of rice, with enough in stock to last eight days and flour was expected to run out in about one week as well. Hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza meanwhile are also reporting a worsening lack of supplies, with Erekat putting their daily needs at 33 tons of drugs and medical equipment, while the WHO was now supplying only 8 tons daily, or about a quarter of that need. "We don't have any control over the Rafah, Karni or Erez crossings," Erekat told a news conference in Ramallah. "There is no presence of the Palestinian Authority at any of these crossings," he said, referring to the fact that they were now in the hands of the unrecognized Hamas administration in Gaza. Israel though has instructed the Israeli Dor Alon company to resume its supply of fuel to the Strip, reducing fears of fuel shortages, while many fresh vegetables, including eggplants, cucumbers and tomatoes, are grown locally and therefore not lacking Bookmark to del.icio.us   My son, the martyr Mother of J'lem attack victim backs 'political use' of son's murder. Keeping the faith Inter-faith couples married in a Jewish ceremony are likely to raise their kids Jewish.   1.   Saeb Erekat: the survivor 16:12  |  Star of David 20/06/07   2.   Basic Foods 16:15  |  Shmuelshachor 20/06/07   3.   Let them bring in food through the Gaza-Egypt tunnels 16:25  |  Man deVoshkes 20/06/07   4.   When Shalit Walks Out 16:30  |  Ron 20/06/07   5.   Hey Saeb, what about the border with your brothers to the west? 16:33  |  Mufasa 20/06/07   6.   The London Times says there`s enough food for 100 days! 16:35  |  Nannette 20/06/07   7.   Mufasa:Malmo 17:00  |  Star of David 20/06/07   8.   Give us Shalit, you will get food, very simple 17:19  |  maurice 20/06/07   9.   There are no free lunches 17:49  |  Zev 20/06/07   10.   Israel as an occupying power is still responsible 17:54  |  UN NUT 20/06/07   11.   Tell Hamas to shoot somewhere else.Keep their Jihadettes away 17:55  |  PETER SM 20/06/07   12.   Aid for Gaza 18:00  |  Stephen 20/06/07   13.   You shouldnt have destroyed the hot houses 19:03  |  David 20/06/07   14.   Propagandist Saeb Erakat not tired of himself yet? 19:23  |  Observer 20/06/07   15.   "8 Maurice "Give us Shalit." 19:32  |  Labhras 20/06/07   16.   Solution 19:38  |  Rob 20/06/07   17.   \10 UN NUT 19:38  |  Labhras 20/06/07   18.   Let them starve 19:45  |  US 20/06/07   19.   Dear Nut (UN Nut is redundant) 19:46  |  Rob 20/06/07   20.   Okay Israel, invite them to the banqueting table and don`t forget 19:48  |  Virginia 20/06/07   21.   # 4 Ron, Good one, makes sense to me. 19:49  |  G 20/06/07   22.   I think we`ll all be AMAZED at how much less we`d have to spend 20:10  |  Virginia 20/06/07   23.   NO SHALIT=NO FOOD 20:24  |  STEVE 20/06/07   24.   UN NUT - Ocupier is responsible of course 20:30  |  David Israel 20/06/07   25.   Have hamas maybe thought this through?? 20:44  |  Rufus 20/06/07   26.   There are news reports on the other side 20:44  |  Paul Freedman 20/06/07   27.   to Virginia 20:46  |  Rufus 20/06/07   28.   Dov WeisGlass` Formaldehyde and Israel`s Lies 21:23  |  YesWeHaveNoBananas 20/06/07   29.   Arab strategic "intelligence" 21:32  |  DavidAK 20/06/07   30.   Simple Solution 21:37  |  Natallie Durson 20/06/07   31.   YesWeHaveNoBananas, No one is "grabbing" any land. Listen to the 21:44  |  G 20/06/07   32.   GUNS NO FOOD 21:50  |  TOBIA 20/06/07   33.   Natallie Durson, Israel stands ready to take responsibility, they 21:57  |  G 20/06/07   34.   food lack thereof 22:39  |  TiGerLaDY 20/06/07   35.   #30 I BELIEVE YOU ARE WRONG 22:48  |  TOBIA 20/06/07   36.   Go Through Egypt 22:55  |  David 20/06/07   37.   Food shortage? Not to worry. 22:55  |  fed up!!!! 20/06/07   38.   #30 Natallie - great solution 23:37  |  * BEN JABO 20/06/07   39.   I`ll State the Obvious 01:06  |  Ron 21/06/07   40.   #28 02:01  |  TOBIA 21/06/07   41.   2ND TRY Food for Guns 02:09  |  * BEN JABO 21/06/07   42.   #15 Labhras Shalit to Geneva - OK 03:06  |  JIA 21/06/07   43.   Total nonesence -they could use their own produce 03:32  |  Sal 21/06/07   44.   how about a trade 05:09  |  ben 21/06/07   45.   shortage 09:02  |  colin 21/06/07   46.   shortage 09:25  |  colin 21/06/07   47.   UN: Gaza could face shortage of basic foods within 2-4 weeks 21:48  |  Sens 21/06/07   48.   THERE IS NO FOOD SHORTAGE- NEVER HAS BEEN 02:53  |  * BEN JABO 22/06/07   49.   #47 Sens - There NEVER was a food shortage 02:54  |  * BEN JABO 22/06/07   50.   #47 Sens - Never was a food shortage 02:56  |  * BEN JABO 22/06/07   51.   FOOD SHORTAGE - MY FOOT 07:33  |  * BEN JABO 22/06/07

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