A Palestinian journalist asked a group of children in northern Gaza what is their wish and they immediately responded “For the war to be over!”

 

I’m writing with urgent news from Gaza and a request for you to keep doing all you can to stop the genocide.

I spoke to my friend Iyad in Shati refugee camp a few hours ago and he told me:

“There’s nothing much left in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war planes, tanks and drones are bombing everything and everywhere in Gaza. I am still alive so far. But like most people living in Gaza, I’m not sure if I will survive the coming days or even hours.”

For almost fifteen months, the genocide on the Palestinian people of Gaza has continued relentlessly. The bombing, shooting, shelling continues, and the number of people killed is increasing every hour of every day.

In North Gaza, families have endured 80 days of a brutal siege, some have fled, others stayed and tens of families are erased and some of their bodies trapped under the rubble. Only 12 trucks of aid have reached North Gaza since early October.

Again, and again, the hospitals in North Gaza are facing constant and direct attacks. Doctors are killed trying to save the sick and injured. The situation at these three barely functioning hospitals is getting worse by the minute.

In the south of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli drones bombed displaced people in tents again yesterday. Many people were killed including children. I have lost track of how many times we have seen these terrifying scenes.

And in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, two of MECA staff members and their families could not sleep from the intense shelling and airstrikes. Some of the young people working with our local partner were stranded as quadcopters shot at anyone moving in the streets so they couldn’t reach their homes after a hard day of work distributing fresh vegetables and warm clothes to families.

My friend Iyad ended his call today with a message for all of you. He asks that you do not forget about Palestinian people in Gaza. The only hope for them is the solidarity movement to continue take actions to stop the genocide.

Please keep your eyes on Gaza and continue taking action.

In solidarity,

Zeiad Abbas Shamrouch
MECA Director