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ZENIT News Agency, The World Seen
from Rome
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Caritas-Jerusalem
Aids Medical Care in Gaza
Also Aims to Ensure Food Supply
JERUSALEM, JULY 26, 2006 (Zenit.org).-
Given that the armed conflict in
Gaza prevents Palestinians from
having access to hospitals,
Caritas-Jerusalem has distributed 23
first-aid kits to qualified doctors
and hopes to provide 10 more.
According to a communiqué today,
the Catholic aid institution in
Jerusalem explained that "The
first-aid kits were distributed and
targeted to areas of intense
fighting."
The distribution was made possible
through the support of numerous
Caritas partner organizations which
have responded to
Caritas-Jerusalem's special
operations appeal "Emergency Support
for Palestine."
So far Caritas partners from
Australia, Belgium, Canada, England,
Japan, Spain, Luxembourg, Italy,
Ireland, Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, the Netherlands and
France as well as other
organizations, such as Aid to the
Church in Need from Germany, have
committed to support this appeal.
The appeal for close to $1.5 million
was issued in May.
Caritas-Jerusalem is also working to
help families get food. For five
months, government workers have
received little or no pay, and
economic activity has almost ground
to a halt in the Gaza Strip.
"We anticipate that our actions
regarding distributions of food
coupons will result in almost 10,000
hungry people securing basic food to
help them during this current
situation," explained Caritas.
Peace plea
Caritas-Jerusalem urges an immediate
cessation of violence in Gaza and
requests that all parties end
attacks and counterattacks so that
efforts to restore order, treat the
injured and get aid to those in need
can take place.
"Killing, aggression, hostage taking
and efforts to harm a civilian
population are wrong and must be
condemned in the strongest terms
with a view to end them
immediately," stressed the Catholic
aid institution.
Caritas-Jerusalem suggested that all
contact their "religious leaders and
elected representatives … to
ensure that the situation in
Palestine, Israel and Lebanon not be
allowed to spiral out of control and
descend into a deeper abyss of
despair, hopelessness and violence.
Gaza particularly needs to see an
end to violence."
ZE06072629
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