Monday, November 06, 2023

Please donate

I have taken the information below from the webpage of Medical Aid for Palestinians, a well respected British charity that has been working for years in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Lebanon. 

Please donate to them here.


"On 7 October, Israel launched an extensive aerial bombardment across all areas of Gaza, hitting homes, hospitals, clinics, schools and essential infrastructure. This has resulted in mass casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure:

  • More than 9,061 killed, including more than 3,760 children
  • More than 22,240 injured, including more than 40% children. More than 2000 remain missing under the rubble. 
  • 70% of the victims are children, women and the elderly 
  • 200,000 + housing units damaged or destroyed, roughly 45% of all homes in Gaza
  • The cumulative number of IDPs since the start of hostilities in Gaza is estimated at over 1.5 million. This figure includes nearly 690,400 sheltering in 149 UNRWA facilities. In recent days, tens of thousands of IDPs, who were previously staying with host families, have relocated into public shelters, seeking food and basic services. This has increased pressure on already overcrowded shelters. The average number of IDPs per UNRWA shelter is nearly four times their intended capacity. 
  • 101 attacks on healthcare, resulting in 16 health workers killed on duty, and 34 health facilities and 24 ambulances impacted

Israel’s military assault follows attacks in cities and towns surrounding Gaza by Palestinian armed groups which killed more than 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals and injured more than 4,000, as well as the firing of rockets and taking of dozens of hostages into Gaza.


Since 9 October, Israeli authorities have imposed a total siege on Gaza, halting the entry of food, fuel, electricity, medical items and water, with the following effects:

  • ELECTRICITY: Gaza has been under full electricity blackout for more than 21 days. Hospitals are operating at a bare minimum capacity. Telecommunication in Gaza, including cellular lines and internet services were largely restored by the morning of 29 October, after being shut down on the evening of 27 October, as Israel shut down all internet and telecommunications in Gaza for about 36 hours. On November 1st, telecommunications and internet services were cut across Gaza for the second time for 12 hours. The telecommunication and internet services continue to go in and out of service throughout the day.
  • WATER: The operation of water wells and desalination plants in the southern half of Gaza stopped almost completely on 2 November, after their fuel reserves had been exhausted. Only one of three water pipelines supplying water from Israel is active. There is not enough clarity on access of people to water in northern Gaza.
  • FOOD: WFP estimates that current stocks of essential food commodities in Gaza are sufficient for about eight days. However, at the shop level, the available stock is expected to last for five days. Retailers are facing significant challenges when restocking from wholesalers due to widespread destruction and lack of security. Out of the 117 trucks that have entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing since 21 October, at least 57 carried food and three carried nutrition items, including ready-to-eat food such as canned tuna, canned meat, and other non-perishables. All food items are being distributed in UNRWA shelters. With delivery, WFP began the distribution of corned beef and canned tuna at a DES in the Khan Younis Training Center
  • HEALTHCARE: the MoH reported that the main electricity generator of the Indonesian Hospital, in northern Gaza, had ceased to operate due to lack of fuel. This hospital has been receiving hundreds of people injured during the recent hostilities in Jabalia camp. Exposing hundreds of patients with serious injuries to imminent risk of death or lifelong disabilities. Shifa Hospital in Gaza city is reportedly almost out of fuel. Since the start of hostilities, 14 out of 35 hospitals with inpatient capacities are not functioning and 51 (71 per cent) of all primary care facilities across Gaza (72) are not functioning due to damage or lack of fuel.
  • The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Amid Israel's indiscriminate bombardment and its siege on food, water, fuel and medical supplies, the healthcare system in Gaza is facing total collapse. According to UN OCHA hospitals are experiencing unprecedented devastation with an overwhelming number of injuries and dire shortages of vital resources.  
    The Turkish Friendship Hospital, Gaza's only dedicated cancer hospital, has ceased functioning today following having been damaged by bombing and now running out of fuel. The Ministry of Health warns that 70 patients are at risk of death as a result.  
  • Gaza's largest hospital, Al Shifa, reports that the lives of 42 premature babies in neonatal intensive care are at critical risk due to fuel shortages. If hospital generators cease to function, the electricity will be cut off from their oxygen devices. 57 kidney dialysis machines are also at risk of stopping, as well as all other oxygen generating machines. Only 12 primary healthcare centres are operating in Gaza. The MoH stated that 1/3 of the hospitals in Gaza have completely ceased to operate.  
    OCHA: For the third consecutive day, the vicinities of two hospitals in Gaza city and northern Gaza have reportedly been bombarded, resulting in damage. All 13 hospitals that are still operational in these areas have received repeated Israeli evacuation orders in recent days. Thousands of patients and medical staff, as well as about 117,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), are staying in these facilities. 

On 13 October, Israel ordered 1.1 million people in northern areas of Gaza to evacuate their homes, despite ongoing bombardment across all areas, and lack of adequate safe shelter for them to move to. Given the historic Palestinian experience of displacement, there are credible fears this may become permanent – amounting to the crime of forcible transfer. 

On 31 October, 59 trucks carrying water, food and medicines entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. This is the largest convoy since delivery of aid resumed on 21 October, bringing the total number of trucks that entered to 217. Entry of fuel, which is desperately needed to operate life-saving equipment, remains banned. Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, which prior to the hostilities was the main entry point for goods, remains closed. OCHA reported that this is equivalent to about three percent of the daily average volume of commodities entering Gaza prior to the hostilities. 
On November 1, ambulances carrying wounded Palestinians entered Egypt from Gaza through Rafah crossing that opened for first time since October 7, also some foreign nationals or dual passport holders were allowed to leave as well. 

This escalation is spilling over into the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Since 7 October:

  • 132 Palestinians, including 34 children have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers
  • More than 2,281 people have been injured, including at least 168 children. Israel detained around 1,500 Palestinians across the West Bank 
  • The WHO has documented 118 attacks on health care, 99 ambulances and including 67 attacks involving obstruction to delivery of health care; 61 involving physical violence towards health teams; 19 involving detention of health staff and ambulances; and 12 involving militarised search of health assets. 
  • Nearly 1000 people have been displaced 
  • Severely tightened movement restrictions across all areas, obstructing access to healthcare

Medical Aid for Palestinians has a permanent team in Gaza and they were the first to respond  to the current emergency by releasing more than US$570,000 worth of pre-positioned stocks of drugs, medical disposables, and other humanitarian supplies held in our warehouses to hospitals and shelters.  

Working in the most challenging of circumstances, MAP's team have sourced and delivered more than US$1 million of humanitarian supplies from the local market. This includes medicines, disposables and lab reagents for hospitals, and mattresses, blankets and hygiene kits for thousands of people displaced from their homes and sheltering elsewhere. 

Where local stocks are unavailable, we are seeking to procure from outside Gaza to be brought in as soon as crossings open and aid is allowed in safely. We are working with UN and NGO partners to advocate for immediate, unimpeded, and safe access for humanitarian supplies and personnel into Gaza."

Please donate to MAP.





1 comment:

marmee said...

Heard on the radio here today that as many civilians have died in Gaza the past weeks as have died in the Ukraine conflict in 19 (NINETEEN) months!