Saturday May 22, 2021
First help arrives
Gaza breathes a sigh of relief
After eleven days of war with more than 250 dead, peace has returned to Israel and the Gaza Strip. Around 1,000 homes have been destroyed in the Palestinian Territory and thousands have been left homeless. Reconstruction will cost millions. Nevertheless, everyday life is returning in small steps.
After the temporary end of violence between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas, international efforts are now focused on consolidating the ceasefire and rebuilding the badly damaged Gaza Strip. According to the UN, around 1,000 homes have been destroyed in the impoverished Palestinian territory and thousands of residents have been left homeless. US President Joe Biden spoke out in favor of “reconstruction” funded by the international community. At the same time he stressed the need for a two-state solution.
After eleven days of violent rocket attacks between Israel and Hamas, a ceasefire mediated mainly by Egypt came into force on Friday night. Two Egyptian delegations arrived in Israel and the Palestinian Territories to monitor them, Egyptian state media reported. The UN Security Council called on both sides to “fully” comply with the ceasefire – in a declaration that was shared by all members of the body for the first time since the escalation of violence began, according to diplomatic circles.
With the ceasefire apparently held, the people of Gaza began to rebuild their daily lives amid the destruction. The first aid transports with urgently needed medicines, food and petrol arrived via an Israeli border crossing. Authorities began distributing tents, mattresses and blankets to those in need.
6000 have become homeless
The fishermen were given permission to go out to sea again; Cafes and shops opened again. According to the radical Islamic Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, ministries and authorities will resume normal work on Sunday. The United Nations Emergency Relief Fund released a total of $ 18.5 million for humanitarian aid.
According to both sides, the eleven days of escalation of violence cost more than 250 lives, most of the victims were Palestinians. Israel assures that it primarily intended to hit Hamas’ military capabilities with its air strikes. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), the Israeli air strikes forced 91,000 people in the Gaza Strip to flee their homes. At least 6,000 people became homeless and around 800,000 people do not have regular access to drinking water.
Biden for two-state solution
After the destruction, the international community is focused on rebuilding. US President Biden announced that he would work for an internationally financed “reconstruction” in the Gaza Strip. In doing so, the radical Islamic Hamas organization must be prevented from arming itself again.
At the same time, however, Biden stressed that the creation of a Palestinian state on the side of Israel was the “only answer” to the conflict. “We still need a two-state solution,” he said. The peace talks have been on hold since 2014, partly because of the dispute over the status of East Jerusalem and the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Clashes on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem were a reminder of the ongoing tensions on Friday. According to police, hundreds of people threw stones and incendiary bombs at police officers. Further clashes were also reported from the West Bank. The most recent escalation was preceded by similar clashes in East Jerusalem two weeks ago. Biden blamed “extremists” on both sides for the clashes in Jerusalem over the past few weeks.
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