‘Fear and panic’ in Gaza as Israeli military resumes intensive airstrikes

In response to extensive strikes being carried out by the Israeli military in Gaza, ActionAid issued the below statement:

ActionAid said: “People in Gaza have yet again woken to scenes of horror. Israeli military airstrikes have killed hundreds of people, including many women, children and elderly people. Hospitals – which have not received any vital medical supplies or fuel for 17 days – are overwhelmed and struggling to cope with the huge influx of injured patients. Our staff and partners in Gaza report fear and panic on the streets. Terrified families, who have only just recently returned to the piles of rubble that are their homes, now face being forced to flee yet again as new displacement orders are issued. 
 
“This outrageous return to mass attacks by the Israeli military comes as people in Gaza were still reeling after 18 months of war, and running out of food, water and other essentials amid a total blockade on aid. How much more horror must they endure? The international community cannot stand by while Palestinians in Gaza are killed in their hundreds: all efforts must turn towards urging all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement and implement their commitments in full. The bombing must stop, permanently, and aid must be allowed to flow into Gaza unhindered before any more lives are needlessly lost.” 

Amjad Al Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) - an umbrella organisation of 30 Palestinian NGOs and a partner of ActionAid Palestine – who is based in Gaza said: “In less than 10 hours of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip more than 400 people were killed, most ofthem children, women, elders. These children, who were sleeping in their beds, were killed. Tents were attacked. Entire families were razed from the records. 

“These attacks happened while Gaza is under a tight blockade. For [17] days Israel denied the entry of all the humanitarian supplies–medical, food, water supplies–to the Gaza Strip.  

“The hospitals are full of hundreds of injured who are in the corridors in very critical situations. And we are warning of the coming hours that, if this will continue, there will be more catastrophic conditions. 

“We are calling on all actors in order to intervene to stop such attacks on Palestinian civilians, and to end the suffering, to reopen the crossings to enter the needed supplies to the Palestinians and to sustain the ceasefire.”