UN / GAZA UPDATE

A UN spokesperson said, “the unprecedented density of Rafah's population makes it nearly impossible to protect civilians in the event of ground attacks.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:39
• Production Date: 9 February 2024
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: STEPHANE DUJARRIC
• Corporate Name: OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS - OCHA
• Subject Topical: CONFLICT; DISPLACED PERSONS; HUMANITARIAN CRISIS; HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; SANITATION; WATER
• Geographic Subject: GAZA; PALESTINE
• MAMS Id: 3172465
• Parent Id: 3172465
• Alternate Title: unifeed240209k

Description

STORY: UN / GAZA UPDATE
TRT: 01:39
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 09 FEBRUARY 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters

09 FEBRUARY 2024, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric at the podium
3. Med shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the unprecedented density of Rafah's population makes it nearly impossible to protect civilians in the event of ground attacks. OCHA says the congestion in Rafah has reached a point where normal routes are blocked by tents set up by families seeking any flat, clean surface available. In the last three months, the city has produced the equivalent of a year’s worth of garbage. That is according to what municipal authorities are telling us. OCHA says that the scarcity of food, clean water, health services and sanitation facilities have led to an outbreak of preventable diseases. The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jamie McGoldrick, says that fuel, generators and spare parts are urgently needed to improve people’s access to clean water, noting that the southern Gaza desalination plant is only working at up to 15 per cent of its original capacity. Our humanitarian partners estimate that about 100,000 families in Gaza need shelter support, including tents for winter weather and other supplies. Since 7 October, they distributed some 40,000 tents, primarily in the areas of Rafah, Khan Younis and the Middle area of the Strip. An additional 28,000 tents are in the pipeline. That is according to what we are told by our humanitarian colleagues.”
5. Wide shot, Dujarric walks away

Storyline

A UN spokesperson today (9 Feb) said, “the unprecedented density of Rafah's population makes it nearly impossible to protect civilians in the event of ground attacks.”

Talking to reporters in New York, the spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric said that according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) “the congestion in Rafah has reached a point where normal routes are blocked by tents set up by families seeking any flat, clean surface available.”

In the last three months, Dujarric said, the city in Gaza “has produced the equivalent of a year’s worth of garbage.”

OCHA, he said, indicated that “the scarcity of food, clean water, health services and sanitation facilities have led to an outbreak of preventable diseases.”

100,000 families in Gaza, Dujarric said, “need shelter support, including tents for winter weather and other supplies.”

Since 7 October, humanitarian partners have distributed some 40,000 tents, primarily in the areas of Rafah, Khan Younis and the Middle area of the Strip. An additional 28,000 tents are in the pipeline. That is according to what we are told by our humanitarian colleagues.