Our second day in Gaza began with a visit to the Palestinian centre for Human Rights. We were asked to tell the British government not to change the law in order to protect alleged war criminals from arrest as Israel is demanding. The law could give the Attorney General the right to veto warrants brought against Israeli military personnel if they were to enter Britain.

We moved on to meet the Palestinian Federation of Industries, an organisation designed to promote and facilitate industrial growth in the region. Unfortunately, the only trading that is taking place is on the black market. Since the borders have been closed and the tunnels on the Egyptian border opened, few materials can enter the country so that industry can properly operate. Some of the best trained and educated workers in Gaza are also being deskilled by unemployment rates of 70%.

After this we travelled to the north of the city to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. During a briefing from a Palestinian Water Authority representative, we learnt that 90% of water in Gaza is contaminated with sewage. Israel, however, blocks access to the site and doesn’t allow the entry of construction materials at the border to be able to fix this problem. Eight people have already drowned when the Beit Lahiya sewage lake burst and thousands more are at constant risk.

Our final visits of the day were to witness the state of healthcare in Gaza. We were met my Khaled Abu Foul, manager of the Al-Quds Hospital, who told us how the buildings had been attacked four times by planes and tanks during the invasion. Only one is now fully repaired because materials are blocked from entry. Equipment too, is struggling to get through. A crucial CT scanner arrived last week after being delayed at the border for 8 months.

We also visited the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, caring for a population of one and half million people. There are only 40 mental health professionals in Gaza trying to care for those who have at one time or another been detained,  of which 30% suffer from mental health problems.

Filed under: recent-news by Andy