Gaza invasion and violence is no solution, says Christian Aid

By staff writers

30 Jun 2006

-30/06/06

As Israeli aircraft launched a fresh wave of air strikes on Gaza, hitting the Palestinian interior ministry and putting pressure on Palestinian militants to free a captured soldier, the international development agency Christian Aid has called for an end to the violence.

The organization, an official ecumenical agency which works on behalf of a wide range of churches in Britain, has partners in the area. It is concerned that a continuing cycle of violence will do little to create the conditions for peace with justice in Israel-Palestine.

The Israeli military incursion comes at the end of a month (June 2006) during which 34 Palestinian civilians have been killed in Gaza in Israeli military attacks or ëtargeted assassinations' of suspected militants. This includes 10 children.

Christian Aid condemns all violent actions and believes that without an end to violence by all sides there will be no security, no end to poverty and no negotiations.

Last night Israel also hit a power station which supplies 65% of Gazaís electricity and also the water pumping station.

International NGOs, politicians and commentators have urged the Israeli government to show restraint, arguing that strong-arm tactics alienate moderate Palestinian opinion and simply strengthen the cause of militants.

William Bell, Christian Aidís senior policy officer responsible for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, said: ìChristian Aid partners in Gaza are telling us how people are rushing to buy dwindling supplies of bottled water, that tomorrow there will be very little bread available in Gaza as the ovens will not be working and that stocks of petrol and gas remain scarce.î

He continued: ìThe message to the civilian population of Gaza could not be clearer ñ collective punishment is part of Israelís military strategy. This is in addition to the internal security chaos that exists in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the lack of Palestinian Authority control.î

Mr Bell added: ìIsrael, in the name of security, has imposed lengthy closures on the strip which has frustrated any meaningful commercial activity and caused regular shortages of essential supplies.î

Christian Aid is ìimploringî the international community to recognise that ìwe are facing a humanitarian crisis that is deteriorating at an alarming pace and to respond accordingly.î

ìSince the election of Hamas in January 2006, international aid from the European Union and US governments has been suspended. Therefore, the beleaguered population cannot rely on their government to provide essential humanitarian assistance,î declared William Bell.

He concluded: ìBy the weekend it is estimated that water will be in dangerously short supply and that essential foods will be unavailable. After only 24 hours of a military invasion and siege on a civilian population the humanitarian impact is looking perilous.î

The United Nations has also warned of an imminent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

On 28 June Israel said it was postponing sending troops into northern Gaza to give diplomacy a chance.

In an interview with the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has claimed that the Hamas militants had agreed to the conditional release of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was captured six days ago.

[Also on Ekklesia: Israeli troops launch military push into Gaza [0] 28/06/06; Gaza militants invoke God to defy pullout [1]; British peace activist arrested in Gaza [2]; Freedom for Kate Burton comes with fresh threats [3]; Christian warnings substantiated as Israel targets Hamas [4]; Catholics seek to stave off Palestinian hunger [5]; Christians on the West Bank face more fire bomb attacks [6]; Israel releases Palestinian prisoners [7]; Christians warn of Palestinian vote block [8]; Bishop suggests occupied Palestinian territory could become part of new state [9]; Palestinians urge non-violence against Israel [10]; Christian hunger strikers welcome ruling on Israel's Separation Wall [11]; Palestinians want a just peace, say churches [12]; Christians meet to step up peacemaking in Israel and Palestine [13]]

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