Christian Aid Reinforces Emergency Grants for Gaza Strip

|TOP|As the war between Israel and Hizbullah continues to rage in Lebanon and northern Israel, Palestinians find themselves at the margins of a regional conflict that has shifted the world’s attention away from their deteriorating situation.

”In the past fortnight the world’s attention has turned away from the crisis in the Gaza Strip to Lebanon, where the devastating conflict between Hezbollah militants and Israel has left much of Lebanon in tatters,” said Christian Aid’s Middle East communications officer Sarah Malian.

“But we must not forget that the situation for people in the Gaza Strip is worsening as they enter a fifth week with limited water and fuel.”

In response to this, Christian Aid has made more emergency grants to partners working on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Defense Forces are continuing their incursions in to the Strip to prevent militants firing rockets in to Israel, but Palestinian civilians have borne the attacks.

Power shortages due to Israel’s shelling of Gaza’s main power station has threatened the running of Christian Aid-supported youth centres.

To keep them running Christian Aid has made a grant to partner the Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA) for a generator and six months’ worth of fuel and provided a psychologist to support children traumatised by the bombing.

|AD|In addition, Christian Aid has funded the provision of vital water tanks through the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee.

"We feel all the [psycho-social] work with the children since last year has been lost," said Majeda Saqqa of CFTA, which provides counselling and art therapy for young people affected by the conflict.

"Through theatre activities, painting and sports the children can find an outlet for their emotions. If this centre didn’t exist I don’t know what I’d do,” said 14-year-old Himdan who goes to CFTA’s teenagers’ centre.

“Palestinians shouldn’t be sending rockets from this area which is full of people... I am also afraid of the ‘reply’ of the Israeli military. It’s great I can come here [to the centre] and really benefit,” he said.

Militants in Gaza are known to operate from within civilian areas and in many cases Israeli military action against them has resulted in civilians and infrastructure being hit.