Shells Hit Gaza City Medical, Aid Facilities

As fighting intensified, a hospital in Gaza City, run by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), was hit by explosions causing fire on Thursday. Medical staff were treating almost 100 patients at the Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza when the shelling occurred.

After the explosion, the second floor of the hospital immediately caught fire. The hospital’s pharmacy was also partly damaged. Fire trucks, escorted by ICRC teams, rushed to the scene and managed to put out the fire. In addition to the hospital, a PRCS warehouse filled with relief supplies was also hit and caught fire.

“It is unacceptable that wounded people receiving treatment in hospitals are put at risk,” said Jakob Kellenberger, ICRC president, who just completed a three-day visit to the area. He insisted that all parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law which mandates parties to a conflict spare civilians and protect medical personnel and medical facilities at all times.

Medical and humanitarian facilities are becoming more and more exposed to the effects of the fighting, according to the ICRC. “These recent developments are particularly alarming in that the Gaza hospitals are already overcrowded and overstretched, and the number of casualties is growing,” said Kellenberger.

To free up beds for the steady flow of new patients, Gaza hospitals are transferring seriously wounded patients into Egypt. The ICRC has also escorted trucks distributing nearly 4,000 gallons of fuel to hospitals in Gaza City and in the southern Gaza Strip to power generators. Meanwhile, damaged power lines continue to put water pumping stations, wastewater treatment facilities, and other civilian infrastructure at risk.

The American Red Cross has contributed $250,000 to the ICRC and $250,000 to the PRCS in support of their efforts to address the increasing humanitarian needs for medical support, hospital supplies, and relief distributions.Part of the assistance to the PRCS was used to purchase an ambulance. Assistance has also been offered to the Magen David Adom, the Red Cross equivalent in Israel, if the need arises.

Red Cross sends more aid to the Middle East

The American Red Cross is contributing $250,000 to support the work of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to address the growing humanitarian needs from the conflict in the Gaza Strip. This aid follows a $250,000 donation to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) earlier this week.

“The American Red Cross contributions will go to support our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners on the ground who are working in dangerous situations, treating hundreds of injured, and delivering urgently need supplies,” says David Meltzer, Senior Vice President of International Services at the American Red Cross.

In Gaza at Shifa Hospital, our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners report that the influx of wounded patients remains significant. Medical staff continue to work around the clock and are very tired and overstretched. Also, because of frequent power outages, the hospital is running on back-up generators.

Magen David Adom, the Red Cross in Israel, has brought in additional staff and volunteers to southern Israel to provide urgent medical care and evacuate injured civilians to the nearest hospitals. Also, MDA ambulances continue to assist PRCS with taking wounded people from the Gaza Strip to hospitals in Israel. The American Red Cross is in frequent contact with MDA and stands ready to support their efforts as needed.

“We are very grateful for the tireless work our partners are doing on the ground in the Gaza Strip and Israel to help alleviate some of the tragedies of this conflict,” adds Meltzer. 

As the conflict continues, the American Red Cross is staying in close communication with our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners on the ground to see what further assistance is needed.

The American Red Cross sends aid as humanitarian situation worsens in Gaza

January 06, 2009 — The American Red Cross is contributing $250,000 to support the ongoing work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to address the growing humanitarian needs from the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

“The American Red Cross contributions will help the ICRC address increasing humanitarian needs for medical support, hospital supplies, and relief distributions,” says Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American Red Cross.

ICRC staff on the ground in Gaza are reporting a shortage of medical personnel, spare parts to keep hospital generators functioning, and medical supplies. The ICRC has mobilized additional staff including a surgical team, provided medical supplies to treat more than 4,000 people as well as 80 palettes of additional medical materials, distributed spare parts to hospitals to keep their generators operational, and is assisting in the repair of water, sewer, and electrical systems.

The ICRC is coordinating closely with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross, staff and volunteers which are both working in their respective areas transporting injured people to health facilities.

“The American Red Cross has a strong relationship with both the PRCS and the MDA,” says David Meltzer, Senior Vice President of International Services at the American Red Cross. “We will continue to assess the humanitarian needs of our sister societies as the crisis continues and stand ready to provide additional assistance as needed.”

The American Red Cross relationship with the societies is rooted in work to grant them membership in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation). Both societies were unanimously approved by members of the International Federation in June 2006.

In November 2008, the American Red Cross awarded the American Red Cross Humanitarian Prize to the leaders of the PRCS and the MDA in recognition of their work in fostering humanitarian cooperation between the two organizations despite significant political and military challenges.

You can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation by either contacting 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish), or mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

News stories from the International Committee of the Red Cross can be found here.

Magen David Adom homepage can be found here.

Palestine Red Crescent Society can be found here.