HEKS/EPER launches deliveries of relief supplies to civilians in Gaza
The brutal attacks by Hamas and other armed groups on Israel and civilians in Israel have led to an escalation of violence in Israel/Palestine. The number of casualties on both sides is rising daily, and about a million people have been displaced.
HEKS/EPER has been present in the region for many years and, thanks to reliable partner organisations, has already been able to launch emergency relief operations, initially worth 500,000 Swiss francs, to assist suffering civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Since the start of hostilities, the toll on both sides has surpassed 6000 killed and 20,000 injured, some gravely. In addition, there are about a million internally displaced people who have been forced by the latest surge in violence either to flee to the southern Gaza Strip or to be evacuated inside Israel. The rocket attacks mainly by Hamas on Israel, and Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip have either destroyed or badly damaged tens of thousands of buildings and also key infrastructure such as hospitals and schools.
Furthermore, there could be outbreaks of diseases and epidemics stemming from the almost complete blockade of the Gaza Strip now in place, the lack of or extremely limited access to clean water and electricity, and from the fact that the medical services are already stretched almost to capacity. If the hostilities continue, the number of casualties can be expected to rise substantially, especially among civilians on both sides.
Keystone
