Attachments
The full implementation of this version of the HIP is subject to the adoption of the decision amending Decision C(2017) 8863
AMOUNT: EUR 24 000 000
The present Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) was prepared on the basis of the financing decision ECHO/WWD/BUD/2018/01000 (Worldwide Decision) and the related General Guidelines for Operational Priorities on Humanitarian Aid (Operational Priorities). The purpose of the HIP and its annex is to serve them as a communication tool for DG ECHO's partners and to assist in the preparation of their proposals. The provisions of the Worldwide Decision and the General Conditions of the Agreement with the European Commission shall take precedence over the provisions in this document.
- MAJOR CHANGES SINCE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE HIP
Modification 1 – May 2018
Since early 2018, there has been a rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza with a particularly high impact on the health and WASH sectors.
The health sector in Gaza has been put under extreme strain as a result of years of blockade, of longstanding shortages of medical supplies, spare parts for medical equipment and back-up generators, of limited electricity and fuel, and of salary cuts for medical personnel. In addition, recent clashes on the Gaza side of the perimeter fence with Israel led to a mass influx of wounded requiring treatment inside Gaza. According to the Health Cluster, thirty-nine Palestinians were killed and over 5 000 injured, mostly from live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and teargas.
The large number of injuries is further straining an over-burdened and under-resourced medical system. The situation remains extremely tense and it can be expected that the upcoming Fridays will lead to further clashes with a heavy human cost and a corresponding increase in humanitarian needs. Additional funds are needed to urgently provide medicine, medical disposables, laboratory materials and other supplies for emergency care, as well as to strengthen the capacity of the health sector to respond to future shocks, which are likely to happen.
In the WASH sector, nearly 1.5 million people in Gaza are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases due to the consumption of unsafe water. Electricity shortage and import restrictions are impacting the operation of approximately 130 critical water and sanitation facilities, heavily relying on generators running on irregularly supplied emergency fuel. As a result, a large amount of untreated sewage ends up discharged into the Mediterranean Sea, causing environmental pollution.
Additional funding is needed to strengthen the capacity of the WASH sector, which is overly reliant on emergency fuel and on the brink of collapse. This sector would also be particularly hit in case of renewed escalation. The proposed response includes: purchase of chemicals for water disinfection and chlorination; repair and maintenance of WASH infrastructure in Designated Emergency Shelters (DES) and replenishment of spare parts to be used in case of emergency. An amount of EUR 3 000 000 is added to this HIP.