PRCS increased its readiness to respond to the needs of Palestinians affected by Israeli attacks in various areas in the oPt. Below are the PRCS interventions during the reporting period.
General Situation in the Gaza Strip
• Israel continues shelling indiscriminately civilians and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip which leads to the increase of the death toll and injuries.
• Early Sunday morning (2072014), the eastern Gaza City neighborhood of Shujaiya was heavily shelled by Israel. Dozens of men, women and children were killed in this shelling; around sixty bodies have already been removed from the rubble of homes and apartment buildings, and the number of injured is more than two hundred according to the Ministry of Health.
• Critical shortage of medical supplies in hospitals due to the increasing number of injuries following the ground incursion.
• Displacement is increasing with over 80,000 displaced Palestinians taking shelter in 61 UNRWA schools. In addition, there are 1780 displaced families (12,460 persons) hosted by relatives. More food and relief assistance is urgently needed for this huge number of displaced persons.
• At least 72,000 children require direct and specialized psychosocial support (PSS) on the basis of families who have experienced death, injury or loss of home over the past days.
Sources: OCHA UNRWA Ministry of Health
PRCS’ Interventions:
I- The Gaza Strip
PRCS’ programs, hospitals, clinics, staff and volunteers are working in the field to provide emergency medical and relief services to the wounded and to affected populations following these Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip.
The PRCS Prsident, Dr. Younsi Al Khatib, arrived into Gaza yesterday (Sunday – 20/7) through Rafah crossing border to follow up on the humanitarian and medical services the PRCS teams are providing to the victims of the Israeli attack.
PRCS’ teams provided First Aid and transport to more than 339 wounded Palestinians, several of whom were transported to PRCS’ Al Quds Hospital in Gaza City and Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis. The Society also evacuated the bodies of 94 killed from various Gaza Strip areas.
The Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) coordinated a two-hour “humanitarian truce” to allow the PRCS teams and other relief organizations to enter the Shijayia neighbourhood to rescue the injured and the removal of bodies. The PRCS teams provided first aid services and transfers to hospitals tens of the injured found under rubbles in the neighbourhood. They also evacuated hundreds of civilians who flee the targeted area to UNRWA schools in Gaza city.
The PRCS Al Quds Hospital and Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis have received many of the casualties and provided the necessary medical attention to them. More than 500 injured were treated in the PRCS hospitals.
Receiving many emergency calls from the civilians in targeted areas in the Gaza Strip, the PRCS teams have been evacuating hundreds of people from their unsafe targeted areas to the UNRWA schools opened as shelters.
The PRCS managed, with the support of the ICRC, to deliver a consignment of relief items to the main warehouse in Gaza through Arez checkpoint. These items will be distributed for the displaced families in the coming few days.
II- The West Bank
PRCS’ teams provided emergency and relief services to approx. 95 wounded Palestinians following attacks by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The PRCS hospitals in the West Bank have received and provided the required medical attention to a number of the casualties resulted from the confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces. Moreover, the PRCS Primary Health Care Centers are activated for responding to the needs of the Palestinians 24hrs.
The PRCS team evacuated 2 houses in Al Aroob refugee camp in Hebron where they were targeted by Israeli tear gaz.
Risks and attacks on the PRCS medical mission:
While carrying out their humanitarian duty, the PRCS medical mission are exposed to direct and indirect attacks and targeting which may jeopardize the lives of the teams and lead to damages in the facilities and ambulances.
In the early hours of Sunday’s morning, the PRCS was receiving many calls from the civilians living in the Shijaia neighborhood, so they tried to access that area but unfortunately they came under fire. This hindered their humanitarian work and the offer of their first aid and relief services to the victims of the Israeli attack.
In addition, during the two-hour humanitarian truce accorded to medical teams by the ICRC, the occupation authorities prevented PRCS teams from reaching the outskirts of Shijaia, where citizens appealed to bring them relief. Their access was limited to specific areas in the Shijaia.
Furthermore, the PRCS teams could not reach the northern and eastern areas of the Gaza Strip because they are being directly targeted by the occupation forces, in spite of the access granted to them by the occupation authorities, in many cases through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Humanitarian Aid:
• In response to the PRCS Gaza emergency appeal launched on 14/7/2014, the PRCS is receiving many pledges to contribute to the appeal from RCRC partners and others. More details to be shared in the next update.
• The PRCS has launched an online donation campaign for helping in securing the humanitarian and medical needs for the citizens in the Gaza Strip.
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