CARE International UK

07/15/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/15/2024 09:10

Nowhere is safe in Gaza: Attacks on Al-Mawassi, where tens of thousands of Palestinians sheltered

We are horrified by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that have reportedly killed at least 140 and injured about 400 people since Saturday, including many women and children. One of these airstrikes targeted Al-Mawassi area in Khan Younis, which the Israeli military had designated a "safe zone", where displaced civilians have set up tents and makeshift shelters. However, as humanitarians on the ground in Gaza we know that nowhere is safe in Gaza.

Most of the Gaza Strip has been destroyed by the conflict, with civilians bearing the brunt of this conflict. Every single day, people in Gaza are living with the risk of bombs, disease, starvation and displacement.

Helen McEachern, CEO of CARE International UK, said:

"We urgently need the new UK Government to use all its diplomatic power to bring an end to these acts of violence that are destroying lives, some of which are babies or unborn children, which have only just begun. Women and girls, along with their families, are being attacked, even when in 'safe zones'.

Every aspect of life has become a nightmare for people in Gaza. It is no surprise that with attacks like these taking place and the mental and physical trauma they lead to, pregnant women are now three times more likely to miscarry and three times more likely to die in childbirth, than they were before October 2023. An immediate and sustained ceasefire must be agreed now."

Media enquiries

For media enquiries, please contact Hannah Copeland at CARE International UK, [email protected]