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FROM THE FIELD

THREE HOURS 'SIMPLY NOT' ENOUGH
07 Jan 2009 17:40:00 GMT
 Source: Christian Aid - UK
Nadene Ghouri

Website: Website: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/gaza

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"The 3 hour ceasefire is simply not enough" say Christian Aid and its Gaza based partners today.

Christian Aid partners report that they have seen very little benefit on the ground, and that the ceasefire was too short to make any real difference to the desperate.

Many stated that people were too terrified to go out into the streets and that there was a great deal of mistrust that Israel would attack if they did so.

Physicians for Human Rights - Israel reported that there was not enough time for medical teams or medical personnel to get to everyone requiring assistance. Some medical teams were also refused access to some areas, including those where families have been trapped for several days with the injured and dead.

Few partners are able to operate fully, and are unable to restart operations within the limited time available. There was also concern that, given the fact that vehicles travelling from the Egyptian border take at least 1.5 hours to reach Gaza City, there would not be enough time to transport supplies, let alone distribute them.

Movement of supplies between different areas is extremely difficult, as the Gaza Strip has now been divided into three isolated areas by the Israeli military, and some major roads have been destroyed.

Although the ceasefire was supposed to be in operation, Ahmed Sourani of Palestinian Agricultural Relief Services (PARC) could still hear shelling during it.

"Today the three hour ceasefire gave us a chance to go to hospital, to get some supplies and visit each other. Thousands are injured and many killed. Three hours is not enough because not all the injured can be reached, particularly those in remote areas, they can't be reached by ambulances and doctors, it is a terrifying issue; it is a humanitarian and critical issue. These are lives of people and children. Even the relatives of people injured and trapped cannot get to them."

"We should look at saving the whole situation rather than a three hour ceasefire. 'We need to create a beam of hope for the besieged people in this jail of the Gaza Strip.'"

In my house, there has been no electricity for more than one week so I have to rely on indigenous fuel - I have just been chopping branches for firewood. I have 10 trees I have cut down for firewood, and I have also been breaking old chairs for firewood.

All efforts are needed to create a new and permanent situation. There is no time for temporary solutions- these temporary solutions have been used in the past- they haven't worked in the last 15 years. 'There should be serious pressure on key actors in the region. We need a real ceasefire agreement otherwise we will come back to square one. "

Essam from Christian Aid partner the Near East Council of Churches (NECC) which has been providing emergency medical care, said: "The ceasefire is a first step, but what is required is a permanent ceasefire and an end to the war."

"The situation is very miserable: our house is not a shelter; the school is not a shelter; the street is not a shelter; everywhere is dangerous, and nowhere is safe."

"Because Israel controls the entry and exit into the Gaza Strip, Palestinian civilians remain trapped with nowhere to flee to escape the onslaught of military attacks. Many areas in the Gaza Strip have been without electricity for 11 days, also impacting the ability to power the provision of water supplies and communications. All banks remain closed, limiting the ability to secure funds to purchase the dwindling supplies available in the market as a result of the ongoing siege. Hundreds of people queued for several hours today to purchase bread during the ceasefire, but were unable to get any. "

Majeda al Saqqa, from the Culture and Free Thought Association which operates mother and child clinics and child mental health support, called on the UK government to take the lead in Europe to 'stop talking and start acting'.

She said: "Diplomacy is not enough, and people are dying because the international community is not doing enough to ensure Israel stops its attack on civilians. The UK needs to pressure Israel to stop the attacks and the killing, not so people can go to work or school, but so that they can simply live. Horrific is not a strong enough word to describe what we are experiencing."

Janet Symes, Christian Aid head of Middle East Region, echoed partners call for a permanent ceasefire.

She said: ""The 3 hour ceasefire is simply not enough. It is impossible to deliver humanitarian assistance at the scale needed in such a short space of time. There must be an immediate permanent cessation of violence and unfettered humanitarian access so that our partners can provide essential services and make a real difference for Gazans. The Quartet must act to put pressure on the Israeli government to cease its military offensive and facilitate a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access. Now is not the time for the EU to be considering an upgrade in its relationship with Israel, but rather focusing on increasing its efforts to ensure that a permanent ceasefire is achieved."

Please feel free to use any of the quotes above.

For further information or to arrange interviews with people in Gaza or with Janet Symes here in the UK, please contact Nadene Ghouri on 07590 710942 or email:NGhouri@christian-aid.org

Where possible we ask if you would please publish or broadcast details for our emergency appeal:

"To donate to Christian Aid's emergency appeal for Gaza please go to www.christianaid.org.uk/gaza"


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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