VOA标准英语2009年-Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Israel Weig

The humanitarian¹ crisis is deepening in Gaza, following Israel's 22-day offensive that Palestinian officials said killed nearly 1,300 people. Now, Israel says it is considering a prisoner swap² to win the release of an Israeli soldier held in Gaza, something that could pave the way for the lifting of the blockade against Gaza.
　
UN humanitarian chief John Holmes (c) observes destruction in Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City, 22 Jan 2009

U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes toured Gaza to begin figuring out ways to channel the massive relief that is needed. He expressed shock at the destruction left by Israel's 22-day campaign on militants³ in Gaza.

He said the United Nations wants an investigation⁴ into the Israeli bombing of a U.N. compound in which hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid were destroyed.

Food is finding its way back onto markets in Gaza, at much higher prices than before the attack. Residents said their biggest challenge now, after burying the dead, is finding where to live. Thousands of homes were destroyed.

Journalist Mohammed Dawwas, reporting for VOA, said People in Gaza City are struggling to bring their lives back to normal.
　
A Palestinian youth boils tea on a fire in the rubble⁵ of his family home in Jebaliya, northern Gaza, 22 Jan 2009

"We are talking about people who lost their homes. Where are they going to live? Where are they going to stay? This is the main problem. They have nothing to be sheltered under. There used to be water, electricity. They are still working on that, but we still have problems with these things now. We have no petrol, no gas, no cooking gas. Nobody has one container of gas to make any food in the house. Nothing at all," he said.

Food, fuel, other items are being smuggled⁶ into Gaza again.

Work was under way Thursday to repair the tunnels that Israel destroyed in its bid to stop the flow of weapons.

Israeli security officials have said they would consider ending their blockade on Gaza if efforts for an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire succeed. Israel wants guarantees and international help in preventing the smuggling⁷ of weapons into Gaza.

Israeli officials said they are discussing the possible handover of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held by militants in Gaza since 2006.
　
Ehud Olmert (file photo)

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke⁸ to reporters on Thursday.

He said he believes Israel's military operation in Gaza created levers that can help in speeding the return of Gilad Shalit. He said he would not elaborate.

Sources in the government said Mr. Olmert hopes to reach a deal with Hamas before Israel holds elections on February 10.

For now, Sunday's cease-fire remains⁹ fragile.

Palestinian officials said two people were injured when an Israeli gunboat fired on the Gaza coastline. The Israeli military said its boat had fired warning shots at a Palestinian vessel¹⁰ that had moved into a restricted zone.

Witnesses also reported gunfire elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

6 smuggled   

水货

参考例句：

• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Those smuggled goods have been detained by the port office. 那些走私货物被港务局扣押了。 来自互联网

7 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。