Attachments
executive summary
The humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) during the first half of 2022 remained fragile. In his 27 June 2022 briefing to the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process reported that, "(t)he fragility of the political and security situation, particularly in the occupied West Bank, is highly concerning", while, "(i)n Gaza, the situation remains fragile, and the risk of escalation persists".
Further, in May 2022, the first report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, identified "forced displacement, threats of forced displacement, demolitions, settlement construction and expansion, settler violence, and the blockade of Gaza as contributing factors to recurring cycles of violence".
The disruption to global supply chains and rising energy and food prices as a consequence of COVID-19, coupled with the war in Ukraine, continued to impact the economic, health and social well-being of Palestinians, in particular the most vulnerable Palestine refugees that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA or the Agency) serves. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), an estimated 2.1 million people in the oPt are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2022,3 out of an estimated population of 5.4 million (3.19 million in the West Bank and 2.17 million in Gaza).
The Gaza Strip continued to suffer from multiple protracted crises – the Israeli-imposed blockade, now in its sixteenth year, the economic impact of COVID-19 and rising commodity prices, and slow recovery from the destruction and damages caused by the May 2021 hostilities. Living conditions in Gaza are dire, as characterized by high unemployment, daily electricity shortages, chronic deficiencies in safe water and essential medical care, and damaged infrastructure that negatively impact every aspect of daily life. Despite a small improvement in the number of people granted Israeli permits to leave and enter Gaza (mainly for work and medical reasons), unemployment levels continued to be one of the highest in the world at 44.1 per cent during the second quarter of 2022 (refugees 46.7 per cent, non-refugees 39 per cent),5 with youth unemployment (ages 15–29) standing at 59.1 per cent.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the protracted protection crisis reached new levels with an alarming rise in conflict-related violence during the reporting period. In this regard, there was an increase in Israeli Security Forces' (ISF) activity, demolitions of Palestinian structures and evictions, resulting in a number of displaced families, particularly in Area C.
In such circumstances, the emergency assistance provided by UNRWA continues to be a lifeline for Palestine refugees in Gaza and the West Bank. Through recurrent cycles of hostilities and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agency has continued to adapt the provision of its services to ensure that the most vulnerable refugees have undisrupted access to essential assistance and protection. The 2022 oPt Emergency Appeal (EA) reflects the additional challenges caused by a deteriorating security situation in the West Bank, the global increase in food and supply chain costs, and the unmet needs of the May 2021 hostilities in Gaza, including for shelter rehabilitation and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), in particular for children.
UNRWA wishes to thank all the donors that have generously contributed to the oPt EA, allowing vital interventions to continue during the first half of 2022. However, as of the end of June 2022, the oPt EA was only 16 per cent funded, with US$ 64.7 million7 received out of a total requirement of US$ 406.1 million. The emergency services provided by UNRWA constitute the minimum support necessary to meet the critical needs of Palestine refugees affected by the protracted crisis in the oPt. Any reduction in such support could have serious repercussions on Palestine refugees’ coping mechanisms, aggravating the existing humanitarian situation, and potentially threatening the stability of the whole region.
Additional funding is urgently needed for the remainder of 2022 to ensure that humanitarian assistance is maintained to the most vulnerable Palestine refugees across the oPt, and that no pipeline break occurs in crucial emergency operations.