Dana Kemanusiaan Palestin (DAKAP)

Alhamdulillah.

Call us at 03-8948 6334 or log on to www.irm.org.my

Heartbreaking

It is heartbreaking to read what my colleague in Gaza has wrote here:

GAZA: 6 January

I'm absolutely exhausted. Despite the bombing last night I managed to get some sleep - I don't know how - I think my body just had enough.

Families have sheltered in schools

An Islamic Relief aid team went out and visited one of the UN schools that has been turned into a shelter for families displaced by the bombing. What I saw was heartbreaking.

Before me were families who have had their homes destroyed and have lost everything. Gaza is a very poor place and many people didn't have much before the bombing started. Many more are left with even less now.

The people I met told me that they had found themselves in the firing line and had no choice but to leave their homes.

I met a mother who was burning paper in order to boil water for her child. She was doing this because she had no milk - maybe she could fool her hungry baby with the warm water?

I was surprised at the amount of women and children I saw in the school - and worried too.

Suffering

People are exhausted, traumatised and they are surviving on a limited amount of food - there simply isn't enough.

I found it very hard to see people suffering like this, especially the children.

At Islamic Relief we have decided that we have no choice but to deliver food to people - no matter what the dangers, and there are plenty of dangers in Gaza. As aid workers we can not stand by and watch as people suffer - they have nothing and we have to do something to help them.

There are around 500 people sheltering in the school and we are also preparing to provide people with hygiene kits, which contain simple things like soap which are important in preventing the spread of disease.

Seeing women and children living in these kind of conditions is unbearable. Many of the children had walked long distances to reach the schools. Their parents had thought they would be safe here.

The children are tired and hungry and do not know why they have been made to leave their homes and live in classrooms, like most Gazans they are cold and hungry and bewildered by the events of the past 11 days.

To donate,please visit: www.irm.org.my

Gaza Emergency Appeal: Islamic Relief's actions as of 6th January 2009

5th January 2009

Islamic Relief is continuing to work in Gaza following the Israeli ground operations, despite the increasingly difficult security situation.

Emergency food supplies for 5000 families has been purchased and packed, ready for distribution.

Emergency food supplies has been purchased for Gaza’s smaller hospitals.

2nd January 2009

Islamic Relief reached its initial fundraising target of $3 Million. However, due to the ongoing crisis and severe need of further funds, the Gaza Crisis Appeal has been raised to $10 Million.

Four trucks of food aid has been delivered to the main Al Shifa hospital in Gaza. The food aid included flour, rice, beans, tinned meat and fish.

$270,000 worth of medical equipment has been purchased in West Bank and will be delivered to Gaza through the World Health Organisation’s coordination.

1st January 2009

The World Health Organisation (WHO) have been given permission to access Gaza on behalf of aid agencies, therefore Islamic Relief will be able to transport aid into Gaza with the WHO.

Today, 1000 additional blankets have been distributed to hospitals. Locally, food is available but to expensive for many to buy. We buy the food and distribute it in emergency food packs.

31 December 2008

Islamic Relief’s Emergency Response:

• Islamic Relief has confirmed that the passage of relief items through the Egyptian border to Gaza has been approved. Some relief items have already entered into Gaza through this route.
• Five trucks of medical supplies have been delivered to Gaza’s main Al Shifa hospital.
• The following medical tools have been delivered to the hospitals:Laporatomy sponges, Gauzes, VICRYL, Hypodermic needles, Splint Kramers, Latex sterille surgical gloves, Endotracheal Tubes oral and Bandage plaster of paris with quantities and various sizes.
• Islamic Relief hosted a coordination meeting with the World Health Organisation and all other NGO’s operating in Gaza to ensure effective response to the crisis.

Islamic Relief’s needs assessment team in coordination with the Gaza Ministry of Health have prepared the following list of the urgent medical tools and equipments needed.

• 1 mobile X-ray machine
• Maintenance of the existing 5 sterilization machines.
• 5 new central sterilization machines.
• 500 oxygen cylinders ICU beds, Fully equipped
• 5 Anethesthesia machines
• 100 syringe pumps
• 100 Infusion pumps
• 5 Operations tables with their lights for opening new operation rooms
• 10 Blood Gas machine with its converter
• 30 normal beds
• 5 Intensive Care ambulances
• Normal ambulances (where 40 % of existing are depreciated)
• More generators for the hospitals (KVA 200, KVA100, KVA 50, KVA 600)
• 5 Washing machines for clothes and other drying machines for Gaza Strip ICUs

The costs of some of the above items are:

• Emergency First Aid Kit £150
• Family Food Parcel £50
• Water Sterilization & Hygiene Kit £20
• Temporary Shelter £350
• Hospital Bed £1,000
• Baby Incubator £8,500
• Ambulance £28,000
• ICU Ambulance £50,000

Islamic Relief has launched an emergency appeal to raise £2 million to purchase urgent medical supplies and humanitarian aid to assist civilians in the beleaguered Gaza Strip.

Hundreds have been killed and injured following a massive bombardment of the Gaza Strip by Israeli fighter jets.

Aid workers report a scene of desperation in Gaza :

“This is the worst situation I have ever seen in Gaza. I visited a hospital and there were bodies outside and people crying. Buildings are totally destroyed. It’s really horrific. We are working now to get aid to the hospitals”

said Hatem Shurrab, Islamic Relief staff in Gaza .

Islamic Relief is one of the largest aid agencies working on the ground in Gaza and has begun distributing emergency medical supplies and equipment, as the immediate needs include medical disposables and first aid kits.

To donate please visit: http://www.irm.org.my/

Credit: photos and infos is extracted from here.

helping hands

It is heartening to see the faces of Canadian volunteers who are currently working hard to raise funds for Gaza.You can also access the diary of Islamic Relief staff in Gaza here.