UN envoy Serry alarmed as Israel-Egypt blockade prevents reconstruction

JERUSALEM (AFP) — UN envoy Robert Serry on Thursday described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "alarming" and warned of the possibility of renewed violence unless underlying political issues were addressed.

"The situation is really alarming," said the special envoy to the Middle East. He spoke after two Palestinians were killed when a smuggling tunnel linking the Gaza Strip and Egypt collapsed earlier Thursday.

"Fulfilling the humanitarian needs and beginning early recovery is impossible without the adequate entry of fuel, cash, and materials needed for the repairs of damaged or destroyed homes, schools, clinics, and other urgent infrastructure repairs," he said.

Serry said that there had been no real progress in recent months and that tens of thousands of Gazans whose homes were hit during Israel's 22-day war against Hamas in December-January now faced a "sweltering summer in unacceptable circumstances without proper shelter."

He added: "In the absence of real progress on issues like Palestinian reconciliation, open crossings, secure borders, and a prisoners exchange, the potential for renewed violence is ever present."

The Palestinians have been using hundreds of tunnels to ferry food supplies and other necessities into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which has been under a crippling Israeli blockade since June 2007, when the Islamists pledged to the destruction of the Jewish state violently assumed power in the territory.

Israel says the tunnels are also used by the Islamists to smuggle weapons including rockets into the Gaza Strip for use against the Jewish state.

The network of tunnels was extensively bombed by Israel during its offensive but many were quickly rebuilt.

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