NGO holds seminar in Palestine to discuss Gaza crisis

By Ali Semerci and Nour Mahd Ali Abu Aisha</p> <p>GAZA, Palestine (AA) – An independent Palestinian non-governmental organization held a seminar Wednesday in Gaza to discuss ongoing shortages of water, electricity, fuel and medicines as well as problems faced by NGOs. </p> <p>Palestinian officials and lawyers who attended the seminar, which was held by the International Commission to Support Palestinian People’s Rights (ICSPR), agreed that the main reasons for the predicament Gaza is facing are divisions among Palestinians and Israel’s blockade.</p> <p>The most affected sector is the health sector, said Eshref al-Kudra, a spokesman for the Health Ministry in Gaza.</p> <p>These problems have led to a lack of medicines, medical supplies and human resources in the sector, Kudra said.</p> <p>He also noted that medicines and medical supplies in the Health Ministry’s warehouses had fallen by 45 percent and Gaza’s health sector needed $40 million worth of such supplies.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Amjad al-Shawa, chairman of the Palestinian Non-governmental Organizations Network in Gaza, said NGOs in Gaza are heavily affected by Israel's provocations against Palestinians abroad, and as a result, the European Union has decided not to support NGOs in Palestine. </p> <p>Due to the EU’s decision, NGOs have been unfairly scrutinized as suspicious organizations and their bank accounts have been closed.</p> <p>Also, Abu al-Umereyn, a board member of the electricity distribution company in Gaza, said the Gaza Strip is experiencing its worst energy crisis in 24 years due to limited resources and increased consumption.</p> <p>He emphasized that the energy crisis is mainly linked to Israel's occupation.