A/HRC/18/49 69. In response to informal queries from OHCHR, neither Israeli nor Palestinian NGOs had reported any major changes in their funding at the time of publication of the present report. 70. OHCHR continues to lead the Protection Cluster Working Group and the Accountability Task Force within it. Both include Palestinian and Israeli non-governmental organizations and share information relating to documenting, developing reports and advocacy activities concerning violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. 71. UNICEF reports that it leads an inter-agency working group that regularly reports to the Working Group of the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict. The Working Group has submitted four bi-monthly reports to the Security Council covering the time period from September 2010 to April 2011. The reports document grave violations42 against children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory by Israeli security forces, Palestinian armed groups and Israeli settlers. This includes reports of killing and injuries, detention, illtreatment and torture, use of children by armed forces, forced displacement, attacks on schools and impediments to humanitarian access, including health services and education. 72. In paragraph 1975 (d) of its report, the Mission recommended that States involved in peace negotiations between Israel and representatives of the Palestinian people, especially the Quartet, should ensure that respect for the rule of law, international law and human rights assumes a central role in internationally sponsored peace initiatives. 73. On 21 September 2010 the Quartet issued a statement that, among other things, urged a complete halt to all violence and reiterated its call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians and to respect international humanitarian and human rights law.43 74. In paragraph 1975 (e) of its report, the Mission recommended that, in view of the allegations and reports about long-term environmental damage that may have been created by certain munitions or debris from munitions, a programme of environmental monitoring should be implemented under the auspices of the United Nations, for as long as deemed necessary; the programme should include the Gaza Strip and areas within southern Israel close to impact sites. The environmental monitoring programme should be in accordance with the recommendations of an independent body, and samples and analyses should be analysed by one or more independent expert institutions. Such recommendations, at least at the outset, should include measurement mechanisms that address the fears of the population of Gaza and southern Israel at that time and should at a minimum be in a position to determine the presences of heavy metals of all varieties, white phosphorous, tungsten micro-shrapnel and granules and such other chemicals as may be revealed by the investigation. 75. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that, as part of a follow-up to its study Environmental Assessment of the Gaza Strip following the escalation of hostilities in December 2008 – January 2009,44 it has focused on restoring groundwater sustainability in Gaza, prepared a technical paper which proposes that a major 42 43 44 For further information on the grave violations against children, see Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, “The Six Grave Violations Against Children During Armed Conflict: The Legal Foundation”, Working Paper No. 1, October 2009. Available from www.un.org/children/conflict/_documents/SixGraveViolationspaper.pdf. Statement by Middle East Quartet, SG/2162, 21 September 2010. Available from www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/sg2162.doc.htm. UNEP, Nairobi, 2009. Available from www.unep.org/PDF/dmb/UNEP_Gaza_EA.pdf, accessed on 21 July 2011. See also A/HRC/13/55, paragraph 81. 15