12 October 2023
Israel’s devastating bombardment across Gaza is causing widespread destruction to civilian life and infrastructure, untold physical and psychological suffering to Palestinians, and the displacement of more than 338,934 people from their homes. Israel’s “total closure”, restricting the entry of food, water, electricity and fuel, is further immiserating life for the entirety of Gaza’s two million people, half of whom are children.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) is gravely concerned that this already catastrophic situation is set only to worsen in the coming days. The prospect for unprecedented loss of life and massive displacement of Palestinian civilians out of Gaza and into Egypt is very real. Urgent action must be taken to end this violence, ensure humanitarian access, and end the illegal collective punishment of Gaza’s population.
MAP’s CEO, Melanie Ward said: “We call on the international community to apply pressure to the Israeli government for an immediate cessation of the bombardment, and ensure that all military action complies with international humanitarian law: that is the principles of necessity, proportionality and distinction.”
“The international community must demand immediate, unimpeded access for medical and humanitarian personnel and supplies through humanitarian corridors, and press the government of Israel to lift its “total closure” of Gaza.”
MAP also emphasises the need to address the root causes of violence, including the 16-year blockade and closure of Gaza and 56-year occupation.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including at least 326 children, and injured more than 5,000. More than 338,934 people have been displaced from their homes.
Gaza’s power plant has shut down due to the lack of fuel, leaving hospitals and homes reliant on backup generators for electricity. The Palestinian Ministry of Health have announced that they have run out of bed capacity in hospitals and almost out of medicines and medical consumables, amid challenges distributing available supplies due to the intense bombardment.
Mahmoud Shalabi, MAP’s Senior Programme Manager in Gaza said: “Without electricity we cannot be in contact with our loved ones or check the news to find out whether they have been displaced, whether they have been injured, or whether they have died. As a humanitarian, I will not be able to do any of the work that I have been doing to try and respond as much as we can at MAP.”
“Without electricity I am afraid that there will be massacres against Palestinians, and those massacres will be carried out in pitch black darkness.”
Healthcare infrastructure and workers attempting to treat those injured have also come under attack amid Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza. At least nine Palestinian healthcare personnel have been killed and 15 injured, and a total of 15 ambulances and 13 health facilities damaged.
MAP is doing all we can to respond to this emergency. We have distributed $700,000 USD of medical supplies such as drugs, disposables and blood bank supplies to hospitals since the morning of Saturday 7 October, and are releasing enough mattresses, blankets and hygiene kits for 5,000 displaced people from our pre-positioned stocks.
Please give an urgent donation to our Gaza emergency appeal today.
Photo: Israeli airstrikes destroyed a building belonging to the Al-Alaklouk family, consisting of 11 floors and 85 in the Al-Nasr Street area, west of Gaza City. (Credit: Mohammed Zaanoun).
