The collective punishment and “crimes against humanity” identified by the recent Human Rights Watch report always fall on children who pay the highest price with their lives and their future. As of this writing, over 60 children have been killed in Gaza from the onslaught by one of the most advanced militaries in the world.
Day after day we watch, once again, as the bombs fall on the homes of thousands of families and with each attack questioning who will be next?
“We all have our important papers ready to leave if we are hit and fortunate to live through it,” said Hana, KinderUSA Country Coordinator in Gaza.
After toppling the building housing international media, the bombardment that followed was the most severe barrage of missiles with Hana stating quite simply, “I can’t believe we are still alive.”
Each night opens a new chapter of fear, death, destruction, and despair with wanton cruelty.
The families KinderUSA serves are still rebuilding from the 2014 51 day assault. Gazans will dig out of the rubble and rebuild again, only to wait for the next bombardment. Homes, buildings, medical facilities, businesses, infrastructure all under attack and being obliterated. No one is safe.
Palestinians across their occupied land face daily systematic racism and oppression from militant settlers in Sheikh Jarrah to a 14 year suffocating blockade of land, air and sea in Gaza. They are denied their basic human rights to freedom of movement, freedom to worship, and freedom to live peacefully in their homes.
There are no shelters for Palestinians to run to when bombs rain down deliberately targeting unprotected homes in Gaza, one of the most densely populated cities on earth. When bombs fall and missiles strike, they hit civilians who have no warnings.
Over 200 Gazan’s, one quarter of whom are children, have tragically lost their lives. Entire families are being annihilated. The numbers will continue to climb taking children, mothers, fathers, siblings, wives, and husbands. Those who survive the bombardment suffer a lifetime of trauma, and many more, lifelong disability.
KinderUSA is prepared and ready to distribute food to families in need throughout Gaza. Our team is waiting for the military bombardment to subside before venturing out in full force to care for families who have lost everything including their loved ones and homes. Exhausted but always steadfast, Palestinians will survive this latest assault on humanity.
