A/HRC/10/22 page 17 the end of 2008, food cost on average 23 per cent more than in 2007. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that shops and markets continue to provide limited food supplies at exorbitantly high prices. Shortage of currency further undermines access to food. Because agricultural inputs are prohibitively expensive, many farmers have been unable to invest in the 2009 agricultural cycle. Livestock owners have reportedly been reducing their flock size. Fishing has declined dramatically. The ability of these groups to feed themselves and their families is seriously jeopardized.44 53. The destruction of food production capabilities, mounting scarcities and rising costs together with obstructions to the delivery of aid constitute grave threats to the right to food. The ability of the people of Gaza to provide for their food and nutritional needs is essential to overcoming the underlying causes of conflict in the region and to ensuring a life of dignity. D. Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health 54. The long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Israeli military offensive launched on 27 December 2008 resulted in grave violations of the right to the highest attainable standard of health in Gaza. According to article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the right to health encompasses not only access to health care, but also the underlying determinants of health, such as access to clean water and sanitation, food and nutrition, adequate housing and a healthy environment. 55. The prolonged conflict has seriously damaged the health infrastructure in Gaza, which has greatly undermined public health and service delivery throughout the affected area. The health situation has been further aggravated by the long-standing blockade imposed by Israel since June 2007. The blockade has prevented the passage of basic goods, including medical supplies, spare parts and fuel necessary for the normal functioning of medical facilities. 56. The conflict and its exacerbation by the blockade and consequent lack of fuel has resulted in severe electricity shortages. Hospitals were running on back-up generators, and medical personnel worked under tremendous strain, as many of them worked consecutive 12- to 24-hour shifts to attend to medical emergencies.22 The number of hospital beds has been insufficient to cope with the mounting number of injured civilians, causing many health centres to send gravely ill and wounded people home before completing the necessary treatment. 57. The lack of fuel has also affected water supplies, which left approximately a million people without access to safe and potable water.45 Waste water pumps repeatedly stopped working, threatening to cause grave environmental hazards. Monitoring and surveillance of water quality 44 See the FAO and emergencies page dedicated to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip at the FAO website (www.fao.org). 45 World Health Organization (WHO), Health Action Crisis, Highlights No. 245, 2-8 February 2009.