Gaza Appeal

Current Situation

The unfolding humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is worsening with each passing day with more than 1.6 million inhabitants deprived of the most basic needs. Water food fuel and electricity are in very short supply and people are in a state of immense suffering.

Over 80% of the total population of the Gaza Strip are unemployed and are completely
dependent on NGO’s and agencies to provide food & relief. If the situation continues the ENTIRE population will be dependent on aid supplies.

In January 2009 Human Appeal was among the first to be on the ground in Gaza providing help to those affected by the crisis. HAI’s field office enabled us to provide immediate aid and coordinate the distribution of medical provisions food parcels baby food Intensive Care Units (ICU’s) and care for orphans.

Bread was distributed on a daily basis to 6000 families and 30 000 meals were provided to school children.

“We were working through intense shelling which targeted everything that moved” (HAI Gaza Project Coordinator).

Human Appeal sent a convoy of 14 doctors who were carrying out life-saving surgery along with paramedics and 11 ambulances.

HAI provided Hospital beds 18 refrigerators for the hospital morgue replaced broken hospital windows and provision of X-Ray equipment.

Wheelchairs crutches and special needs equipment was also distributed in accommodation centres and milk was provided to over 10 000 families.

HAI Palestine

We have been working in Palestine for more than 13 years through our office in West Bank. Our capacity and reach in Gaza was strengthened in 2000 with the establishment of our Gaza office.

Human Appeal International’s field office in Palestine was established in 1996 with the Gaza strip office opening in 2000. Our field office in Gaza has developed into the strongest field office in the region. We have 2 bases of operations in Palestine Gaza and the West Bank allowing us to bring aid through Israeli and Egyptian passages. This has allowed us to get the aid donated by our UK donors into Gaza.

“The Situationon the ground is much worse than what we have seen on the TV screens. I saw people sitting on the ruins of everything they had built-up over 3 generations. We need to give more aid to the people of Gaza. Massive infrastructure damage has left very little access to clean water food and electricity. There is a serious danger of a ‘secondary disaster’ occurring due to the increasing risk of diseases spreading.”Jahangeer Akhtar Overseas Project Director Human Appeal International UK.

Human Appeal International has been providing the following aid:

1) Medical Aid

2) Provision of Beds for hospitals

3) Food Parcels for large groups & families

4) X-ray Films

4) Repairing of broken windows at hospitals (hygiene/safety purposes).

Human Appeal International is also running an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) project whereby we are looking to build these to help in emergency circumstances on a daily basis. The actual cost of a full fledge ICU is £40 000 however HAI is looking to open at least some basic needs ICU’s which costs £13 000.

Along with this medical aid has been provided over the last few days in large trucks to help victims suffering from various types of illness and injury. These have contained vital medicines and medical equipment to help in the many emergency cases that hospitals have been overloaded with.

Beds have also been provided for hospitals as the shortage of these is quite high. These assist in the care of those severely injured and the aged. The needs of these people is still very high and enough cannot be done to ease the suffering in their lives.

Human Appeal International has also recently rebuilt broken windows in hospitals around Gaza which in turn makes the hospital more hygienic & safe for patients. This also helps doctors safely carry out their treatments and operations.

FOOD PARCEL BREAKDOWN

The breakdown of the food parcel shows that various needs are met through the provision of a variety of foods that provide good health and are filling. For example chicken rice flour sugar lentils cheese etc. Tea helps to keep warm! These foods are storable long-lasting and also provide for larger groups of people

£30 food parcels contain Flour Rice Tea Sugar Oil Lentils Dry baby milk Cheese Canned meat Beans Tomatoes. Each food parcel contains enough food for a family for an entire month. This really is a lifesaver for those suffering from starvation or famine

Food parcels cost £80 and are expected to also be stored for upcoming days rather than to be consumed in one go. The food parcels also provide for more than just 1 family. Please see the table below for in-depth details.

The need for food and medical aid is urgent and although aid is being provided there is a greater need for these supplies with each day that passes.

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