Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - Caritas Jerusalem is intensifying efforts to assist people in Gaza suffering shortage of food, water, electricity, medial care and basic services since the Israeli authorities closed crossing points for security reasons.
Caritas volunteers run a medical centre at Al Shati opened in 2003 and in 2005 Caritas opened six more medical clinics in the coastal region.
Jameel Khoury, Caritas Jerusalem delegate in Gaza, says "the atmosphere is tense, people are discouraged, the situation has never been so bad”. Caritas staff try to meet the growing medical emergency assisting sick and injured persons. “We do what we can with the little electricity available and ever scarcer medicines”, he tells us. Caritas teams also visit distant villages to give help on the spot, especially to children.
“The priority at the moment is food and then comes medical care”, says Khoury, since there is a shortage of both in Gaza.
Catholic Caritas Jerusalem joins with all the Christian Churches in the Holy Land to ask the international community make Gaza accessible to humanitarian aid, in harmony with the recent appeal from Christian patriarchs and leaders of Churches: “In the name of God, end the siege over Gaza” (Fides 24/1/2008). (PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/1/2008 righe 26 parole 263)
