Unimaginable suffering unfolding in Holy Land
An update from Caritas Internationalis
Incessant fear, terror, horror, killing and slaughter. Starvation, coldness, bleak nights, and the smell of death all over. A child searching for his most likely dead mother among the rubble, and a mother screaming at the top of her voice and madly begging her murdered child to wake up for one last time, hoping she did not die hungry at least. A bereaved mother hugging her baby girl, mutilated by the ruthless missiles, and covered in blood, murmuring words in her ears, things none of us will ever understand!
The sheer brutality of this war has left no corner untouched, and the streets echo with the cries of those who have lost their loved ones. In this humanitarian crisis, the stories streaming from Gaza show suffering beyond comprehension. A shortage of food, ordinary hygiene items, and the most rudimentary subsistence items worsen living circumstances. Increased spread of disease, protection of the injured, and mental health issues strains an already overburdened health system. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) evaluations show that the whole population of Gaza Strip faces hunger. It's shocking that over 90% of homes, or more than 2 million people, are food insecure, the highest rate worldwide.
West Bank impacted too
Moreover, the war has a direct effect on Palestinians not living in Gaza. Hundreds of West Bank families have fled or been injured due to settler violence and Israeli skirmishes. Closing jobs and revoking work licenses to enter Israel worsen the population's problems. The fighting hinders humanitarian personnel travel, preventing safe operations. Villagers usually come to work in town and cross the checkpoints into Israel daily to do their manual labour jobs. During these times of war, movement across the checkpoints is forbidden, permits have been revoked, and employment in Israel for West Bank residents has been cut off. In West Bank towns, such as Bethlehem, that rely on tourism, pilgrimages and religious tours have also ceased, causing increased financial pressure for families. Employment has dropped 32%, or 276,000 jobs disappearing due to closures and revocation of work permits to enter Israel.
End the violence now
Caritas Jerusalem is calling for an end to all violence and immediate humanitarian access to Gaza, where the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has displaced almost all Gazans. The organization, founded in 1967 in the aftermath of the Six Day War, helps individuals from all religious backgrounds in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with socio-pastoral, development, healthcare, and emergency assistance. It operates in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem.
Since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, Caritas Jerusalem has provided emergency relief to the affected population in Gaza, including food, water, hygiene kits, bedding, winter supplies and cash vouchers.
Over the past 100 days, Caritas Jerusalem's efforts have provided essential services and paved the way for additional interventions. Their comprehensive approach includes offering free primary healthcare through shelters and community-based groups in remote areas, facilitating mental health support by providing safe spaces for expression and therapy to women, children, and shelter staff, and aiding in the economic recovery of internally displaced individuals in Gaza and West Bank households who have lost their jobs due to the conflict.
As the war goes on, we will continue to provide vital services to the victims of the war. The international community must act immediately to address the Gaza and West Bank humanitarian crises. Through its unwavering support during these trying times, Caritas Jerusalem is a beacon of hope, inspiring a vision for a more stable and just region.
"Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer." Romans 12:12.