As conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory continues to escalate, Christian Aid’s head of Middle East William Bell said:
“As soon as we report the numbers killed in Gaza they go out of date as the violence escalates. But we are duty bound to record these deaths: at least 65 so far in Gaza, including 16 children, according to the health ministry; in Israel it is 7, including one child. Even without a threatened ground invasion these figures will go up; with one, they will take us into the depths of hell.
“The international community cannot afford to continue failing in their responsibility to use every possible measure to stop the violence immediately. But they must not stop there. As the violence across Israel and the West Bank demonstrates, it is the status quo that led us to this point. It is the inequality, discrimination, incitement and abuse of power that has led some to a false sense of security and others to despair.
“Speaking to our colleagues in Gaza through the night we heard people exhausted with fear, desperately trying to protect their children as the bombing intensifies. Rana Abdallah of the Women's Affair's Center in Gaza, told us: ‘Buildings not far from my house were hit at least with 20 airstrikes…it was terrifying for the kids. My eldest didn’t leave my side. I could hear her throbbing heartbeats all night.’
“Palestinians and Israelis have never been treated as equals by the international community and until they are, there will be conflict, often violent. And it is innocent civilians who always pay the price for that political failure.”
