Humanitarian Crisis in Middle East Deepens
CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) says the number of
people its partner Caritas Lebanon is helping in temporary shelters
throughout Lebanon has increased to 70,000.
Caritas said that as those numbers continue to rise, it is becoming increasingly difficult to bring adequate care to those in need, as services and infrastructure come under enormous pressure.
George Khoury, the director of Caritas Lebanon, said, "There are problems with water distribution, as the supply of water in certain centres is not sufficient for the increased need. There is a risk of rapidly worsening sanitary conditions.
"There is also a problem of space running out in shelters. Volunteers are trying to find new places where people can find some sort of refuge, even for small groups, as there is a severe lack of places to house people."
Populations from Lebanon's border with Israel continue a mass exodus northwards to more secure regions or, like the displaced populations from the capital Beirut's southern suburbs, are seeking refuge in safer neighbourhoods of the city. The displaced population is estimated at over half a million people.
Others who might want to flee have no means of doing so safely. Bridges and roadways have been targeted especially but not only in the south and larger trucks have also been coming under fire.
"Caritas Lebanon has had many appeals from people needing help to get out of their villages situated along the border with Israel which are now practically inaccessible," said George Khoury.
"There is an urgent need not only to secure a safe humanitarian corridor to bring basic relief items from abroad, but also the need to protect humanitarian convoys. We are no longer in a good position to convoy whatever relief items we have to make available to those displaced people in a safe and proper manner," he said.
Meanwhile, in Gaza Dr Bandali El-Saigh, the medical director for CAFOD partner Caritas Jerusalem, said their medical centres are providing free treatment to all people in need, since no one can afford the small payments for visits.
Early in the latest round of fighting that began three weeks ago, the Israeli military knocked out the one power generation plant in Gaza.
Caritas Jerusalem says that medical centres, if they can operate at all, are operating on the little power produced by generators. Water pumps that run on electricity have been rendered useless.
Dr El-Saigh also said that since transportation and petrol are no longer available, Caritas Jerusalem will need to distribute first aid kits around Gaza so that the sick and injured can care for themselves or others in case they cannot make it to hospital.
CAFOD has launched an appeal to its supporters for the humanitarian crisis, and is calling on all sides to end hostilities immediately, call a ceasefire and begin negotiations.
CAFOD’s Diocesan Manager for the Clifton Diocese, Tony Vassallo said, "CAFOD launched an appeal in the Clifton Diocese last week, and I'm confident that Catholics in the Diocese will respond with their usual compassion and tremendous generosity."
Useful URL : http://www.cafod.org.uk
Caritas said that as those numbers continue to rise, it is becoming increasingly difficult to bring adequate care to those in need, as services and infrastructure come under enormous pressure.
George Khoury, the director of Caritas Lebanon, said, "There are problems with water distribution, as the supply of water in certain centres is not sufficient for the increased need. There is a risk of rapidly worsening sanitary conditions.
"There is also a problem of space running out in shelters. Volunteers are trying to find new places where people can find some sort of refuge, even for small groups, as there is a severe lack of places to house people."
Populations from Lebanon's border with Israel continue a mass exodus northwards to more secure regions or, like the displaced populations from the capital Beirut's southern suburbs, are seeking refuge in safer neighbourhoods of the city. The displaced population is estimated at over half a million people.
Others who might want to flee have no means of doing so safely. Bridges and roadways have been targeted especially but not only in the south and larger trucks have also been coming under fire.
"Caritas Lebanon has had many appeals from people needing help to get out of their villages situated along the border with Israel which are now practically inaccessible," said George Khoury.
"There is an urgent need not only to secure a safe humanitarian corridor to bring basic relief items from abroad, but also the need to protect humanitarian convoys. We are no longer in a good position to convoy whatever relief items we have to make available to those displaced people in a safe and proper manner," he said.
Meanwhile, in Gaza Dr Bandali El-Saigh, the medical director for CAFOD partner Caritas Jerusalem, said their medical centres are providing free treatment to all people in need, since no one can afford the small payments for visits.
Early in the latest round of fighting that began three weeks ago, the Israeli military knocked out the one power generation plant in Gaza.
Caritas Jerusalem says that medical centres, if they can operate at all, are operating on the little power produced by generators. Water pumps that run on electricity have been rendered useless.
Dr El-Saigh also said that since transportation and petrol are no longer available, Caritas Jerusalem will need to distribute first aid kits around Gaza so that the sick and injured can care for themselves or others in case they cannot make it to hospital.
CAFOD has launched an appeal to its supporters for the humanitarian crisis, and is calling on all sides to end hostilities immediately, call a ceasefire and begin negotiations.
CAFOD’s Diocesan Manager for the Clifton Diocese, Tony Vassallo said, "CAFOD launched an appeal in the Clifton Diocese last week, and I'm confident that Catholics in the Diocese will respond with their usual compassion and tremendous generosity."
Useful URL : http://www.cafod.org.uk
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