Inhabitants in the Gaza Strip are facing a serious health and food crisis seven days into an Israeli bombing campaign, despite an increase in humanitarian shipments, AP quoted U.N. officials as saying today. The U.N. also estimates that at least 100 civilians _ many of them women and children _ were among the 400 people killed so far by airstrikes, said Maxwell Gaylard, U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinians Territories. He said 2,000 people have been wounded. "There is a critical emergency in the Gaza Strip right now as we speak. It is true supplies have been going into the strip, in fact possibly more than in previous weeks, but at the same time there are critical gaps", said Gaylard. He explained that crucial wheat grain for bread was not being shipped into the area in sufficient quantities and there was not enough industrial fuel oil to run the power plant. Power outages are lasting 16 hours at a time and running water is only available every five to seven days, according to the U.N. Gaylard added that despite the entrance of medical supplies into the Gaza strip, hospitals and clinics are still seriously strained and infrastructure is breaking down under the strain of all the casualties.
