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Palestine

An intensifying conflict, continued restrictions on movement and the crippling financial embargo are creating a humanitarian crisis in Palestine.

Since 25 June 2006, sustained and violent air attacks and ground assaults have left 453 people dead and 1,548 injured. Many of the dead have been civilians, including 87 children and 28 women.

Gaza has suffered major damage to its roads, bridges, government buildings and hospitals. Several educational institutions and four ministry buildings have been destroyed, including the Prime Minister's office.  

An electricity plant that provided 45% of Gaza's electricity has been destroyed, and Palestinians have had to face severe electricity shortages and water supply problems.

Agriculture has also been hit with the destruction of hundreds of acres of farmland.

Beit Hanoun Massacre

A six-day offensive in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun left 70 people dead, another 300 people injured, and caused major damage to homes and agriculture.

In a single attack, 18 members of the same family were killed as missiles crashed into their homes. Islamic Relief donors have sponsored 22 children who were made orphans in this attack.

Lebanon

Islamic Relief's emergency response phase in Lebanon is almost over and the focus is now turning to helping people recover from the war.

Cluster bombs

Cluster bombs and other unexploded ordinance (UXO) are scattered throughout southern Lebanon. Mine disposal teams are working in the area but it will take up to 18 months to clear the whole country. UN officials have seen around 100,000 unexploded cluster bomblets in 359 separate sites in Lebanon.

Since the ceasefire, 13 Lebanese civilians have been killed and 53 injured by UXO. Six Lebanese soldiers have also been killed by UXOs while clearing homes and fields.

To help prevent further deaths, Islamic Relief supports a mine awareness programme for children in Nabatiyye.

7 August 2006

Bombardments in Lebanon have killed over 900 people, mostly civilians, and injured more than 3,000 since 12 July 2006.

Up to 800,000 people have been displaced by the bombing and fighting in southern Lebanon, according to the UN. Thousands of refugees have crowded into the main cities, as over a quarter of the Lebanese population have fled their homes.

Cut off from aid

Roads, bridges, airports, hospitals and power plants lie in ruins across Lebanon. Destroyed roads are also preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the worst-hit areas in the south.

“There is no ceasefire there, so aid cannot reach them,” says IR Head of Mission, Marc-Andre LaGrange. “People are living with no electricity, no gas and little clean water. They can hear the bombings at least once or twice every hour.”

Qana Deaths

Air strikes in Qana killed over 60 civilians on 30 July 2006 – more than 30 of the dead were children.

International condemnation led to a partial suspension of bombardment for 48 hours. During this interval many people who had been trapped with little food or water fled their battered towns and villages.

IR is the only British aid agency working directly in south Lebanon, and was the first to reach bombed-out Qana with aid.

“People in Qana have been without food and water delivery for 20 days now,” said Marc-Andre. “Even the temporary ceasefire is very unstable. In Qana, there was a bombing just 1 km from our distribution point. We wanted to go even further south, but there is still intense fighting.”

Ghost Villages

IR staff managed to reach many towns and villages with relief aid during the 48 hour amnesty, including Tyre, Sidon and Qana.

“When we got there the villages looked empty. It took us ten minutes to find someone, and to get people to start coming out and receive aid. People are very, very scared,” said Marc-Andre.