Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Gaza (Agenzia Fides) - The Israeli government has agreed to support the proposal for a truce proposed by Egypt, although there are still Palestinian deaths in the Gaza Strip as a result of air raids carried out this morning in the village of Khan Yunis. On the Palestinian side, the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, reject the Egyptian proposal of "ceasefire". Meanwhile, the leaders of all humanitarian and charitable organizations that are part of the Catholic Church already put in the pipeline joint initiatives to respond to the emergency. "We are at a meeting at the headquarters of the Pontifical Mission" refers Father Raed Abusahliah, Director of Caritas Jerusalem to Fides Agency, "to make sure that all our operating realities in Gaza cope with the emergency in a coordinated manner, hoping that the truce will be established. But we already know that in addition to immediate action, long term projects are needed to try to make the deep wounds left by this latest military intervention in the lives of the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip less painful. Years will not be enough to restore all that has been destroyed and annihilated in a situation where everyone's life was already beset by many problems. Already before the bombing, between 1300 Christians in Gaza, 34 per cent of households, had no source of income".
According to data provided by health organizations operating in Gaza, the Israeli military "Operation protective edge" has so far caused 192 deaths and over 1,400 injuries among the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 15/07/2014)
