We cannot forget Gaza

The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza may have drifted slightly from our television screens, but the suffering has in no way dissipated. 

The start of the year brought hope – in the form of a six-week ceasefire that came into effect on January 19. This brought an immediate and dramatic improvement to the lives of Gazans. At last, agencies were able to bring in life saving aid and provide critical services to the population following 15 months of unimaginable hardship. 

The collapse of the ceasefire is devastating.  

In Gaza, alongside supporting our local Caritas partners, SCIAF also works through our sister agency Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and we are in regular contact with the team on the ground there. With 110 staff members across Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank, CRS aid workers continue to work to serve those in need, despite the imminent threat to their own lives. 

CRS supports four church premises in Gaza, which continue to serve havens for approximately 400 people who have been displaced and cannot return to their homes. People are supported here with basic necessities such as food, hygiene items, cash assistance, clothes and tarpaulins.  

Since the ceasefire was broken on 18 March, the humanitarian situation has once again deteriorated. Borders were closed once again on 2 March, meaning relief supplies are nearly depleted, prices of basic foods/supplies are on the rise again, and households continue to experience regular displacement due to frequent evacuation orders.  

There have also been many more deaths. Since the resumption of large-scale hostilities, 1,163 people have been reported killed and 2,735 injured, with more than 280,000 newly displaced. Sixty-five percent of Gaza is under displacement orders or in expanded ‘buffer’ zones.  

One frightening statistic stands out – 18 months of conflict has left 95% of Gaza’s 2.1 million population on the brink, requiring humanitarian assistance. 

Many returned to their homes during the ceasefire, to find nothing but devastation. It’s estimated that 92% of homes have been destroyed or severely damaged. These families remain in dire need of safe and sustainable shelters. Now, with the renewed Israeli offensive and daily evacuation orders, more and more displaced families require emergency shelter, bedding, and hygiene items. 

Lack of access to clean water is another serious threat, following the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure. On March 9, Israel cut off electricity to the desalination plant in Dier al Balah greatly reducing the amount of water produced to serve the population in the south. It goes without saying that human beings need water to survive and dirty water bring the risk of infectious diseases. 

The safety and security of people, especially the vulnerable, is especially heightened due to the need to walk long distances to access clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. 

CRS staff are still operating, doing what they can but only have a few days left of supplies. Their life-saving work is subject to constant evacuation orders and the frustration is they have lots of contingency stocks in Egypt and Jordan that can be in Gaza within a day - if only the politics allowed. 

Enough is enough. The suffering of innocents cannot continue. We need an urgent ceasefire and full humanitarian access to the people of Gaza. And we need to redouble our efforts towards peace in the Holy Land; deep and lasting peace where everyone can survive and thrive, feel safe, secure and be authors of their own lives’ stories. We pray for peace, for justice, without revenge.