With Gaza now completely cut off from food, electricity, water, and fuel, ActionAid is alarmed at the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis, which is affecting the lives of over two million people.
Nadim Zaghloul, ActionAid Palestine Country Director, said:
“The situation inside Gaza is dire as homes and civilians remain the indiscriminate targets of continuous bombing. Our colleagues have fled their homes and are currently using hospitals as shelters. Air raids continue throughout the day and night, and our partners are telling us that entire families have lost their lives.
We’re only a few days into the crisis, but the unprecedented scale of hostilities threatens a humanitarian emergency on an unimaginable scale, even for a region all too familiar with disaster. With a ‘total blockade’ announced in Gaza, over two million people will be plunged even further into crisis and completely cut off from food, electricity, and fuel.
We are urgently calling for an end to the violence and for the safe passage of humanitarian aid to those that need it the most.”
Civilian infrastructure has been damaged too, with over 400,000 people living without clean water and sanitation. Additionally, hospitals are running out of medical supplies as the death toll and casualties increase exponentially.
ENDS
Notes to editor
Spokespeople available:
- Nadim Zaghloul is the Country Director of ActionAid Palestine.
- Wisam Schweiki is the Head of Programmes at ActionAid Palestine.
- Gemma Guillen is the Country Manager at ActionAid Spain and is currently in Palestine.
For media requests, please email Christal.James@actionaid.org or call 704 665 9743.
Eyewitness Accounts:
Country Director Nadim Zaghloul:
“With Gaza now completely cut off from food, electricity, water, and fuel, ActionAid is alarmed at the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis which is affecting the lives of over two million people.”
“Our colleagues have fled their homes, and many are currently using hospitals as shelters. But some staff remain trapped and unable to find safe shelter.”
Samah, an ActionAid staff member in Gaza, has been sheltering at her mother’s home, along with her 15-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son. Bombs are falling dangerously close by.
“We cannot sleep in the night, and we cannot rest during the day”
“My family stocked up on food and water before taking cover, with shelves already running close to empty. But we cannot go outside for more supplies, for fear of being targeted or caught up in bombardments.”
“I am thinking about my children.”
“I am thinking of my relatives.”
“I am thinking about it if we will be alive tomorrow or not.”
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.
