Oxfam launched a fundraising appeal
today to provide humanitarian support following the deadly
violence in Israel and Palestine this week, and the tightening
siege which has cut off all electricity, food, water and fuel to
Gaza. Unless aid is let into Gaza, food is likely to run out
within a week.
Over 2,000 people have been killed in
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory over the past few
days, with thousands more injured.
Gaza has already been under blockade
for more than a decade, but the complete closure put in place by
the Israeli government following the horrifying attacks by Hamas,
resulted in Gaza’s sole power station running out of fuel earlier
today. The only source of electricity - including for hospital
equipment like life-support machines - is now via generators,
with dwindling fuel supplies. Essential water and sanitation
infrastructure has been damaged by airstrikes and access to
drinking water is limited.
Aleema Shivji, Oxfam’s Chief Impact
Officer, said “The violence perpetrated on Israeli civilians by
Hamas was appalling and Oxfam condemns those attacks in the
strongest possible terms.
“Yet innocent communities are trapped
in Gaza, one of the most densely populated places on earth, with
no safe place to escape the Israeli airstrikes. Over 250,000
people have had to leave their homes, more than two-thirds are
now crammed into UN schools with little access to drinking water,
food or toilets. We urgently need to raise money so that our team
can deliver life-saving essentials”.
Before the escalation of violence, 8
out of 10 people in Gaza depended on humanitarian assistance, due
to the ongoing blockade which is now in its
16th
year. While Oxfam and other agencies
have had to pause operations due to the ongoing airstrikes,
pressure is growing for humanitarian corridors to allow
access.
Shivji said “The death and destruction
is heartbreaking. Oxfam has been working in the region for over
70 years and we stand ready to provide humanitarian support for
trapped civilians who bear no responsibility for the
violence.”
