People living in fear as humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza, says ActionAid
ACTIONAID PRESS RELEASE
10 October 2023
People living in fear as humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza, says ActionAid.
With Gaza now completely cut off from food, electricity, water and fuel, ActionAid is alarmed at the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis which is affecting the lives of over two million people.
“The situation inside Gaza is dire as homes and civilians remain the indiscriminate targets of continuous bombing,” Nadim Zaghloul, ActionAid Palestine Country Director, said. “Our colleagues have fled their homes and are currently using hospitals as shelters. Air raids continue throughout the day and night and our partners are telling us that entire families have lost their lives.”
Civilian infrastructure has been damaged too, with over 400,000 people living without clean water and sanitation. Additionally, hospitals are running out of medical supplies as the death toll and casualties increase exponentially.
“We’re only a few days into the crisis, but the unprecedented scale of hostilities threatens a humanitarian emergency on an unimaginable scale, even for a region all too familiar with disaster. With a ‘total blockade’ announced in Gaza, over two million people will be plunged even further into crisis and completely cut off from food, electricity, and fuel.”
“We are urgently calling for an end to the violence and to the safe passage of humanitarian aid to those that need it the most.”
Notes to editor
ActionAid Palestine Country Director, Nadim Zaghloul, and Wisam Shweiki, Head of Programmes at ActionAid Palestine, and Gemma Guillen Country Manager at ActionAid Spain in Palestine, are available for interview on request.
Contact the ActionAid press office on uk.media@actionaid.org or on 07753 973 486.
About ActionAid
ActionAid is a global federation working with more than 41 million people living in more than 71 of the world’s poorest countries. We want to see a just, fair, and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression. We work to achieve social justice and gender equality and to eradicate poverty.
Eyewitness Accounts:
Country Director Nadim Zaghloul:
"With Gaza now completely cut off from food, electricity, water and fuel, ActionAid is alarmed at the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis which is affecting the lives of over two million people."
“Our colleagues have fled their homes and many are currently using hospitals as shelters. But some staff remain trapped and unable to find safe shelter.”
Samah, an ActionAid staff member in Gaza, has been sheltering at her mother’s home, along with her 15-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son. Bombs are falling dangerously close by.
"We cannot sleep in the night, and we cannot rest during the day.”
“My family stocked up on food and water before taking cover, with shelves already running close to empty. But they cannot go outside for more supplies, for fear of being targeted or caught up in bombardments.”
“I am thinking about my children. I am thinking of my relatives. I am thinking about it if we will be alive tomorrow or not.”
