I stay out of Israel/Palestinian arguments. I don't have a dog in the race ethnically, spiritually or politically.
But as Kurt Vonnegut wrote, "I still believe that peace and plenty and happiness can be worked out some way. I am a fool."
People are dying, or else they are being hurt today. I would like us to see what we can do about that.
I seldom ask you to recommend things that I write. Please recommend this. I will update this diary when I can (though it's a busy work day for me) with any new information that comes up from people in the comments.
Whatever you do in the comments, please recognize that this is an aid diary only. If you want to argue, take it elsewhere. Do not bring your fights in here.
One more thing. There have been reports that humanitarian aide workers and supplies have had limited access to the areas where their help is needed. Do not let this stop you from trying to help.
To donate to Doctors Without Borders (MSF), go here.
Since Saturday, December 27, aerial attacks on the Gaza Strip are estimated to have killed 300 people and wounded over one thousand more, including civilians. On Saturday, MSF teams evaluated the needs of the main medical structures in the Gaza Strip, in particular Kemal Edwan hospital in the north and Shifa Hospital, the main referral hospital that was running low on medical supplies. Over the weekend MSF donated medical supplies, comprised mostly of bandages, disinfectants, and antibiotics for treating wounds and burn injuries. These supplies were taken from a pre-positioned emergency medical stock MSF maintains in Gaza.
To donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross, go here and choose "Israel / Occupied Territories / Autonomous Territories" in the dropdown menu.
ICRC activities in the Gaza strip:
The ICRC's main priority is to assist hospitals in Gaza. The organization has so far provided kits sufficient to cover the needs of 200 wounded persons as well as intravenous fluids. Three ICRC trucks carrying blood units, spare parts for hospital generators, and other supplies entered Gaza today. The ICRC also succeeded in bringing five additional ambulances into Gaza today for use by the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
In the coming days the ICRC will try to bring into Gaza additional medical items, including blood units, syringes, gauze and adrenaline, and two generators for hospitals.
The ICRC is preparing for the possible deployment of additional staff, including a surgical team.
Security permitting, ICRC staff will visit Shifa Hospital in Gaza City today to conduct a first-hand assessment of the situation there.
The ICRC is exploring the possibility of bringing humanitarian assistance from National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies into Gaza.
The ICRC continues to cooperate closely with the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
To donate through CARE USA, go here
ATLANTA (December 29, 2008) - Leading aid agency CARE has set up a life-saving supply of medicines and equipment to hospitals in Gaza.
But the agency has warned that the emergency resources - from limited stocks within Gaza - will run out shortly. It is looking at ways of bringing supplies in quickly from elsewhere - and is calling for an end to the fighting to prevent wide-scale humanitarian catastrophe.
CARE has already provided crucial pharmaceuticals and medical disposables to the Al Ahli Arab hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society hospital and ambulance stations. The agency has a long-standing presence in Gaza, and was able to establish a flow of supplies to health workers within a few hours of the first bomb attack.
Health staff and facilities are overwhelmed by the sheer scale and nature of casualties flooding hospitals. CARE is planning to procure whatever additional medical and relief supplies are available locally - and is seeking clearance to bring supplies in through Israel.
To help through Mercy Corps, go here.
Mercy Corps is monitoring evolving humanitarian needs in the embattled Gaza Strip as our programs there — which offer psychosocial assistance to children and provide vulnerable residents with short-term jobs such as sewing hospital linens and baking for kindergartens — are on hold as Israel continues its military offensive.
The Red Cross calls the humanitarian situation in Gaza "alarming," with rapidly rising commodities prices and "chaotic" scenes at hospitals. The UN reports long lines at functioning bakeries and power outages up to 16 hours throughout the territory.
Your gift to Mercy Corps' Gaza Crisis Fund will be used to deliver emergency humanitarian aid to affected families in Gaza. Our staff is collecting information on humanitarian needs, and is currently exploring ways to provide household supplies and items such as first aid kits and medical supplies.
Even before the military action, Mercy Corps programs were struggling to operate because of Israel's frequent closure of the Gazan border, which led to fuel rationing and electricity and water shortages.
For example, our program that employs out-of-work Gazans to sew gowns and linens for local hospitals has slowed due to a lack of electricity to run the sewing machines. Staff are also paying two to two-and-a-half times more for fabric that's of a lower quality than was available before the closure.
Mercy Corps currently offers members of the most vulnerable Gazan families short-term jobs in clothesmaking, food production, and education. Our presence in Gaza dates to 2005, when we distributed much-needed medical supplies, food packages, cooking fuel, and kitchenware to families affected by border closures.
Our programs also offer recreational activities to children to help them deal with conflict-related trauma, build self-esteem and interactive skills. We also reach Gazans through our Middle East youth exchange program, Global Youth Connection, which connects hundreds of Palestinian youth in Gaza and the West Bank with their U.S. peers at high schools in the American Northwest.
To give to AmeriCares, go here.
GLOBAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
AmeriCares has been working with American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) since 1993 to provide regular shipments of humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.
ANERA is an American non-governmental organization with five program offices in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. In addition to educational, community and economic development initiatives, ANERA works with 70 institutions in Gaza and the West Bank. These institutions range from primary care clinics to hospitals, all of which count poor and marginalized communities among their patient populations. AmeriCares helps these institutions care for patients by providing general hospital supplies, medicines, nutritional supplements and hygiene items.
In fiscal year 2007 AmeriCares delivered 14 shipments valued at more than $21.7 million into Gaza and the West Bank. AmeriCares aid went to 28 health and 41 social service institutions in Gaza and the West Bank. These include specialized hospitals and health campaigns focusing on maternal and child health as well as ophthalmology and diabetes, primary care clinics and centers, schools and community programs.
Despite escalating security measures that complicate the importing of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, AmeriCares has been able to maintain a schedule of regular of shipments.* Our partner, ANERA, plays a vital role in navigating the customs clearance process. Critically needed medicines, hospital supplies and other relief items have stocked empty shelves in Khan Younis, Wadi Salaqa, Gaza City, Rafa and Jaballia Village among others locations in Gaza, and Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Jerusalem and Nablus among others locations in the West Bank.
* AmeriCares observes the United States Bureau of Industry and Security regulations for exports and the State Department regulations regarding beneficiaries of assistance.
To give to Save the Children Gaza, go here.
WESTPORT, Conn. (Dec. 29, 2008) — Concerned about the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, Save the Children is appealing for public support to help distribute emergency assistance, including hundreds of food packets and much-needed medical supplies, to children and families caught in the crossfire of recent violence in Gaza.
Even before the most recent air strikes in Gaza where it is estimated that more than 300 people, including children, have been killed, Save the Children warned that tens of thousands of children in Gaza were facing a humanitarian crisis, with little access to food, water, health care, electricity and sanitation facilities.
"The recent violence is making a very bad situation even worse," said Ned Olney, who heads emergency response for Save the Children, based in Westport, Connecticut. "We once again urge all concerned parties to help find a solution to the current political impasse that is adversely affecting the lives of nearly every child in Gaza, while also endangering the lives of Israeli children in areas subject to possible rocket attacks."
To donate to ZAKA Search and Rescue, click here.
To donate to American Friends of Magen David Adom, click here.
To donate to Brother's Brother Foundation, click here.
Thanks to Kossack Addison for the information. Thanks to dansk47 for mentioning Mercy Corps. Thanks to Vacationland for mentioning AmeriCares. Thanks to Something the Dog Said for mentioning Save the Children Gaza.
Thank you for recommending this. I think despite it all, we can do some good today.