Middle East Crisis
IR Projects in Palestine
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.
IR in Palestine
In northern Gaza, Islamic Relief aid workers are delivering medical aid and repairing damage to hospitals.
IR has delivered a container of medical disposables to the Odwan hospital in northern Gaza and work on the roof of the Gaza European hospital is nearly complete. IR staff are also working with the Al-Shifa medical complex on rehabilitating their kidney dialysis equipment.
Lebanon
Islamic Relief served over 200,000 people in Lebanon through our relief programme. IRW aid workers rebuilt infrastructure, delivered food and water and supported child welfare activities to reduce the trauma of war.
Water
Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) supplied thousands of litres of drinking water to 50 locations in Nabatiye and Tyre. Since the conflict, IRW supplied over 2 million litres of drinking water.
Water treatment engineers have conducted water safety checks for 30 independent water distributors and IRW's public health specialist organised water chlorination and safety training seminars.
Reconstruction
IRW engineers have completed the installation of a municipal water filtration system in Naquora and repaired eight water reservoirs that were damaged during the bombardment of southern Lebanon.
In the district of Bint Jbeil which was pounded during the war, IR aid workers distributed 100 rooftop water containers to all the damaged schools in 32 villages. In the town itself, IR distributed 100 rooftop containers for households.
IRW has also repaired the bomb-damaged Bint Jbeil hospital.
Islamic Relief has replaced a generator which pumps water to over 1,500 people in the village of Hanine in southern Lebanon, and provided a 7 ton generator for Khirbit Silim to power a water pump that serves 15,000 people.
IRW restored water services to 11 villages in southern Tyre with funding from the European Union (ECHO). IRW provided water pumps, water delivery and fuel for a pumping station.
Distributions
Over 25,800 food parcels, 2,600 family-size hygiene kits, and 4000 jerry cans have been distributed to the affected population since the conflict began.
For Media queries please email media@islamic-relief.org.uk
