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UN Gaza Construction Programme Halted
The United Nations relief agency yesterday suspended its network of building projects in Gaza, attributing the move to the recent closure of crossings into the coastal strip, which, it said, denied it access to the relevant building materials required.
The U.N provides food aid to over a million residents within this area, while its projects within the construction sector employ the skills of around 121,000 Gaza-based Palestinians. These jobs are paramount to this population; of which approximately 40 per cent are unemployed.
A statement released by the Director of the Gaza-based U.N Relief and Works Agency, John Ging, confirmed the construction hiatus now in progress. It detailed that: �Some $93 million worth of projects are on hold because cement and other building supplies have run out.�
The statement continued: �This is all vital humanitarian work, including repair of dilapidated and damaged shelters of about 16,000 refugees currently living in appalling conditions. It is imperative that the Crossings into Gaza resume full operations not just for food aid and medicine, but for all commodities and supplies otherwise Gaza faces the prospect of a humanitarian and public health crisis".
According to Mr Ging, among these projects are those involving the construction of health centres and schools, water and sanitation facilities, as well major refurbishments of ravaged refugee shelters � all now held in limbo. Regarding the possible outcome for these, should materials not now be available, Mr Ging stated:
�Many of our projects are public works, such as sewage treatment plants, water works and health centres. These have serious public health implications. The construction of new schools, now halted, were to address major overcrowding problems and if they are not completed on schedule, then it will be the innocent children who will pay a heavy academic price for the political failure to find solutions to open the borders�.
The agency has suggested since early June that a humanitarian crisis was imminent; in light of Hamas� volatile takeover of the barren Gaza strip, which caused both Egypt and Israel to close down its crossings into the area.
Some action on the part of Israel has resulted in supplies of both food and cement to Gaza. Meanwhile, the political situation in the area continues to deepen, with talks between the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, due in the next few days.
Source � Construction International�s Middle East Correspondent