The international development agency Christian Aid, alongside UK church leaders, are calling for a ceasefire and all governments with influence to bring an immediate end to the violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.
Only that will allow the safe passage of desperately needed humanitarian aid at the scale required to reach more than two million Palestinians under relentless bombardment and suffering without adequate food, water and fuel. The 20 aid trucks stuck at the Rafah crossing will make only a symbolic difference when they cross the border from Egypt.
Christian Aid’s Head of Middle East Policy and Advocacy, William Bell, said: “Any small hope that aid would finally reach Gaza today appears to have been dashed but 20 truckloads of aid pales in comparison to the scale of need facing more than 2 million people struggling to survive constant bombardment, food shortages and a desperate lack of medicine.
“According to the UN, there are 200 aid trucks waiting at the Rafah crossing, which is the equivalent of just two days’ worth of the aid Gaza needed for people to survive even before undergoing two weeks of heavy bombardment and a full siege.
“It is deeply worrying that these initial aid convoys will not include fuel. Without fuel hospitals and ambulances can’t operate and it will not be possible to pump the clean water needed to sustain life in Gaza.
“The bottled water supply is running very low, with the UN saying that in some emergency shelters people are surviving on just one litre of drinking water a day. You cannot truck in clean water for over two million people and waterborne disease is becoming an increasing risk to life.
“This horrific violence and tragic loss of life must end now.”
Alongside faith leaders, Christian Aid is demanding the release of all kidnapped victims alongside unequivocal support for the International Criminal Court to carry out an independent investigation into all war crimes to ensure accountability.
The charity’s established partners in Gaza continue to help as best they can but to respond at the scale people need requires unrestricted humanitarian access with reconnected water and electricity.
ENDS
Note to editors:
For interviews, please contact probertson@christian-aid.org.
The public can sign the petition here: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/emergencies/middle-east-crisis-action
