As Gaza continues to endure relentless and indiscriminate bombardment, the loss of civilians, including humanitarian workers and medical personnel, and the rhetoric on civilian lives are alarming. ActionAid is calling for urgent action to stop the targeting and killing of civilians and ensure respect for international humanitarian law.
The Gaza health ministry has reported that 1,417 Palestinians, including 447 children and 248 women, have been killed, and 6,238 wounded in bombings since Saturday. The UN has reported 11 staff killed, and the Red Crescent has lost five staff members. The targeting of civilians and humanitarian workers is illegal and must stop.
Nadim Zaghloul, Interim Country Director & Head of Operation for ActionAid Palestine, said:
“The loss of innocent civilians, humanitarian workers, and medical personnel in Gaza is deeply distressing and calls for a deep reflection on the need to protect lives, essential services, and civilian infrastructure, and respect international law. Earlier today, we received the devastating news that the apartment home of an ActionAid staff member has been bombed and reduced to rubble in Gaza. She and her two children and neighbors are terrified, and they have lost everything.”
ENDS
Notes to editor
Spokespeople are available:
- Nadim Zaghloul – ActionAid Palestine Country Director, currently in the West Bank
- Wisam Shweiki – Head of Programmes at ActionAid Palestine, currently in the West Bank
- Cristina Muñoz – Director at ActionAid Spain, currently in Madrid
- Gemma Cosialls – Country Manager at ActionAid Spain, currently in Jerusalem
- Samah Kassab – Project Manager, currently in Gaza
- Razmi Farook – Director of Asia and Humanitarian at ActionAid International, currently in Colombo
For media requests, please email Christal.James@actionaid.org or call 704 665 9743.
About ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working with more than 15 million people living in more than 40 of the world’s poorest countries. We want to see a just, fair, and sustainable world in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity and freedom from poverty and oppression. We work to achieve social justice and gender equality and to eradicate poverty.