11 August 2017
Amid its deepening humanitarian crisis, Gaza is experiencing daily blackouts of 18-20 hours, with many homes receiving just two hours of mains electricity per day.
Hospitals in Gaza are struggling to function due to the impact of power shortages, and have had to cancel operations and drastically cut-back on cleaning, sterilisation and diagnostic services.
With fuel for backup generators running out, the lives of 113 new-born babies and 100 patients in intensive care are at risk. But patients face ever-increasing barriers to travel for treatment outside Gaza.
Without electricity, sewage cannot be adequately treated. Gaza’s two million inhabitants struggle to access clean water, and face the risk of disease.
In 2012, the UN warned that Gaza could be unliveable by 2020 if urgent action was not taken to reverse the effects of prolonged blockade. As Gaza marked 10 years under blockade and closure last month the UN revised this estimate, warning that the humanitarian situation had declined “further and faster” than anticipated.
For many, Gaza is unliveable now. Action is urgently needed to avert catastrophe.
In response to this crisis, UN humanitarian agencies in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) launched an appeal to fund a US$25 million package of urgent lifesaving interventions in the health, water and sanitation, and food security sectors to stabilise the situation in the Gaza.
Despite the clear and urgent need, only 24% of the appeal’s funds have been raised so far from international donor governments.
It is time for the UK to play its part – both by supporting immediate humanitarian relief, and renewing diplomatic efforts to end the decade-long closure.
If you are a twitter user, please join MAP in calling the UK Department for International Development to fund this vital appeal and stabilise the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
We hope to have other campaigns actions for supporters on this vital issue soon.
