Israel Declares War on Humanitarian Aid
Jan 8th, 2009 at 10:04 am by Susie
What are we supposed to call this? What other word is there to use besides “criminal”? Somehow, it’s not enough to express my shock and disgust:
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday accused Israel of delaying ambulance access to the Gaza Strip and demanded it grant safe access for Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances to return to evacuate more wounded.
Relief workers said they found four starving children sitting next to their dead mothers and other corpses in a house in a part of Gaza City bombed by Israeli forces, the Red Cross said on Thursday.
“This is a shocking incident,” said Pierre Wettach, ICRC chief for Israel and the Palestinian territories.
“The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded. Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestinian Red Crescent to assist the wounded,” Wettach said.
The agency said it believed Israel had breached international humanitarian law in the incident.
An Israeli offensive launched in the Hamas-controlled Gaza
Strip on Dec. 27 to end rocket attacks by Islamic militants has drawn increasing international criticism over mounting civilian casualties.Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances and ICRC officials managed to reach several houses in the Zeitoun area of Gaza City on Wednesday after seeking access from Israeli military forces since last weekend, the ICRC statement said.
The rescue team “found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses,” the ICRC said.
“They were too weak to stand up on their own. One man was also found alive, too weak to stand up. In all there were at least 12 corpses lying on mattresses,” it said.
Mercy Corps today delivered a truckload of rice and other food staples for 2,000 hungry Gazans. They plan to distribute blankets, mattresses, pillows and powdered milk to 100 families displaced to UN refugee camps in Jabaliya and Rafah during tomorrow’s afternoon cease-fire. Mercy Corps is also seeking signatures for a petition calling for immediate humanitarian access to Gaza.
The Gaza Crisis Fund is also accepting donations for much-needed supplies to be delivered to people in Gaza.