Gaza under siege —again
Israel's decision to completely seal off Gaza Strip crossings has intensified the suffering and privation faced by Gaza residents. Gaza hospitals say they are forced to bury Palestinians killed in IDF strikes draped in flags and bed sheets because of a shortage of burial shrouds. Cement is only available on the black market and its price leaped five-fold, bringing a halt to all construction. UN food aid cannot get through—leaving the more than one million Palestinians who rely on it, about two thirds of Strip residents, facing imminent hunger. The Strip's sole power station, already at 45% capacity—meaning frequent black-outs—has enough fuel to supply electricity only until Sunday morning.
On a positive note, Israeli military authorities approved the transfer of 48 gravely ill Palestinians to hospitals in the West Bank and in Israel. (YNet, Jan. 19)
In the latest air-strikes, a woman was killed and 46 people were injured in an Israeli missile raid on the interior ministry of the de facto government in the Gaza Strip Jan. 18. The building at Tel al-Hawa was completely destroyed, and one missile also hit a wedding party in front of the ministry, resulting in the injury of dozens of people, including women and children. Israeli warplanes also bombed the marine headquarters of the Gaza security services west of Dir Al-Balah, although no casualties were reported.
In a meeting between Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi at the Israeli army headquarters established in Gaza, it was decided to wait until the spring before launching a large-scale invasion of the Strip, the Israeli daily Maariv reported on Dec. 17. However, the newspaper added that Barak issued instructions during the meeting to increase assassination operations. "We must continue to increase assassination operations," he was quoted as saying.
In the bloodiest week in several months in the Gaza Strip, 36 people were killed and scores injured in Israeli military operations between Jan. 15-18. (Ma'an News Agency, Jan. 18)
See our last post on Palestine/Gaza.
Israel loosens the noose ...for now
From the New York Times, Jan. 22:
The Big Action To Free Gaza Strip
The slow genocide is still under way in Gaza ! Act Now !
We were all pleased to see a new wall tear down, but unlike the Berlin Wall, this does not mean that the occupation is over and Gazans are free.
Egypt closed the border back and the 5 days of freedom the Gazans courageously allowed themselves by demolishing the walls of their prison didn't allow them to erase 6 months of blockade, without medicines, without drinking water, without electricity, without fuel, without food balanced, without freedom.
The mainstream media reported that Israel will resume its fuel deliveries to Gaza, but they forget to mention that it will deliver only 20% of the amount necessary to the Gaza needs.
Israel has also announced that on February 7, it would reduce by 5% its electricity supplies to Gaza where power is severely lacking.
In Gaza, the humanitarian situation is still dramatic:
86 patients have been killed by Israeli Occupation due to Closure!
1562 patients are in need of treatment outside Gaza Strip and 322 patients have reach a critical stage. If the siege continues, 470 cancer patients will die.
107 class of basic medicines are depleted from Gaza Strip and 97 sorts of medicines are on the verge of depletion
The hospitals treat only urgent cases due to the lack of power and fuel for back-up generators
The mobilization must go on.
We must pursue the work and ask this inhuman siege, which constitutes a war crime involving our governments, be lifted.
Ask your MPs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, your representatives to the United Nations how they can sleep the night when people are dying due to their decision
Ask them if the Palestinian genocide is the only way they found to solve the Jewish issue.
Get out in the streets, demonstrate, and organize candlelight vigils in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Show to your government that you do not agree to be witnesses of that slow genocide without saying anything
Take part in the global effort organized on February 23th calling for the End of the Gaza Siege!
Free Gaza!
The action of protests will be across European, Arab, southern and Latin American countries.
Contact us, the Popular Committee Against Siege in Gaza (PCAS), and let us know what you are preparing for this global action!
Please, forward this call around you.
We need your help to Free Gaza !
Freegaza.ps@gmail.com
www.freegaza.ps
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Popular Committee Against Siege(PCAS),
PCAS Manager,
Sam AK
Gaza - Palestine
Mob:00972598873055
Freegaza.ps@gmail.com
Website: www.freegaza.ps