Pernille Ironside on Life in Gaza Eight Months After the 2014 Conflict

The wars and humanitarian disasters unfolding in Syria, Yemen, Nepal, the Mediterranean basin, and so many other parts of the world have eclipsed the dire situation in Gaza. Israel’s 51-day bombardment of the 140-square-mile strip of land in the summer of 2014 left a devastated population living in poverty, instability, and the ruins of their homes and neighborhoods. To make matters worse, the economic blockade and closure of Gaza since 2007—as well as wars in 2008-9 and 2012—have made any steps forward a near impossibility.

Pernille Ironside assessed the situation in Gaza as “a massive human catastrophe.” She was in Washington, DC, on 28 April 2015, meeting informally with representatives of non-governmental organizations that have a special interest in the region. She added, “At this rate and according to the UN, by 2020, Gaza will become unlivable” as a result of the ravages of conflict and the continuing closure and de-development of the territory.

Ms. Ironside should know well—she is Chief of the Gaza Field Office for UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), a post she has held for nearly two years. She spent most of the 51 days of Israel’s 2014 military campaign in the Gaza Strip leading UNICEF’s efforts to protect children and their families seeking shelter from the bombing. UNICEF also provided them with immediate coping skills, distributed non-food items to internally displaced persons in partnership with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, offered access to safe drinking water through water tankering and emergency repairs to the water network, and supplied hospitals with medical consumables and life-saving drugs for children.

The statistics on the children of Gaza, in particular, as a result of the conflict are jarring: 539 dead, 3,364 injured, 51,600 homeless, and 373,000 needing psychosocial support. Indeed, she said, the children there feel “a strong sense of hopelessness and helplessness.” Because most of Gaza has not been rebuilt or cleared of rubble, they see the destruction daily—a constant reminder of the horrific experiences of 2014. In addition, the loss of many family members means that these children are coping with profound grief. Nearly half the children in Gaza suffer psychological distress. Engaging children, particularly adolescents, in meaningful after-school programs in their communities is critical for their well-being and for restoring their sense of personal agency and choice in a context where most youth feel disempowered.

The majority of schools in Gaza—those left standing—now operate in double or triple shifts. Ironside says that an additional 200 schools are needed now, with another 200 to be built by 2020. There are electricity blackouts for up to 16-18 hours per day, having ramifications on all aspects of everyday life from food preservation to doing homework and using any kind of electric devices.

An important aspect of her work, Ironside noted, is bearing witness, advocating for the protection of civilians, and documenting grave violations perpetrated against children. She said, however, that the same factors that led to the escalation before the 2014 conflict have not yet been resolved; until addressed, the risk remains very high of another war in the future. “A political solution is needed to bring this long-standing conflict to an end, and enable children on both sides of the border to live in peace and security,” Ironside concluded.

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