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Washington, D.C. - August 13, 2024

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Release of Gaza Humanitarian Access Snapshot #3: Continued Humanitarian Access Denied With Relentless Bombardment And Polio Threat Looms

RAMALLAH, 13 August, 2024 – NGOs working in and on Gaza have yet again highlighted the crippling obstruction of access for aid, outlining restrictions, delays, and deplorable aid delivery conditions experienced during the last two weeks in their latest humanitarian snapshot. 

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and leading humanitarian agencies outline how new ‘evacuation orders’ and relentless airstrikes have forced the displacement of over 200,000 Palestinians since mid-July, many of whom had already been displaced multiple times. Israel’s ongoing blockade has only tightened, leaving aid convoys stranded and essential supplies inaccessible to the millions in need.

Access for aid to enter and be safely delivered throughout Gaza is ever more urgent, with the imminent threat of a polio outbreak since recent wastewater samples have indicated the presence of the virus. Children under five are particularly vulnerable, including an estimated 50,000 babies born since the beginning of this war who have yet to receive any vaccinations at all. The World Health Organization (WHO) led immunization drive, set to begin on August 23, is in jeopardy due to the ongoing violence and severe restrictions on humanitarian access. The continued denial of adequate access for humanitarian organizations is exacerbating this public health emergency, with no clear mechanism for evacuation or delivery of medical supplies.

NGOs operating in Gaza face unprecedented challenges, as access to vital resources and supplies is blocked, and staff are put at risk by bombardment and attacks in so-called ‘humanitarian zones.’ Despite these obstacles, aid workers, mostly Palestinian staff from Gaza, continue to heroically strive to deliver assistance, but the scale of the crisis is overwhelming. Reports indicate severe delays in the delivery of critical supplies, with warehouses destroyed, and transportation routes rendered unsafe due to ongoing hostilities. These challenges underscore the urgent need for international intervention to ensure that humanitarian aid can be delivered effectively.

Without immediate action, the potential spread of polio and other preventable diseases will further compound the suffering of Gaza's civilian population. The international community must urgently demand a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access, and impose a humanitarian arms embargo to ensure that vital medical supplies, including vaccines, can reach those in need. A ceasefire is not just a temporary reprieve from the violence; it is essential for preventing a catastrophic health crisis in Gaza that could quickly spread across the region. 

The blockade and ongoing violence are not just hindering the delivery of aid—they are creating the conditions for a potential public health disaster that will have long-lasting consequences.

Churches for Middle East Peace’s (CMEP) executive director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, says, “The devastating consequences of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza have gone on for far too long, with children being those among the most affected. We, at Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), call on the Biden Administration to demand that Israel allow immediate and adequate humanitarian access into Gaza. In addition, world powers should use all diplomatic measures possible to call all warring parties to deescalate ongoing hostilities in the region, working toward a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire agreement, the release of hostages and those held unjustly in Israeli prisons, and addressing the core issues of the decades-long occupation of the Palestinian people.” 

 

Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of more than 30 national church communions and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical traditions that works to encourage US policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East with a focus on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. CMEP works to mobilize US Christians to embrace a holistic perspective and to be advocates of equality, human rights, security, and justice for Israelis, Palestinians, and all people of the Middle East.

Recent CMEP Statements and Press Releases:

July 30, 2024 Gaza Humanitarian Snapshot #2
Intensified Israeli airstrikes in areas of Gaza where aid organizations are providing services, including Israeli-designated “humanitarian zones” have resulted in mass civilian deaths and further shrinking space to deliver life-saving assistance, warn 20 international aid and advocacy agencies including Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).

July 23, 2024 Prior to Netanyahu’s Congressional Speech, 200+ Global Bishops and Christian Leaders Call World Leaders to Institute a Permanent Gaza Ceasefire, Halt of Arms Sales to Israel, and Prevent Broader Regional War In a new letter, over 200 global Christian bishops and executive leaders urged world powers to end complicity in the ongoing violence and atrocities committed in Gaza as a part of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The letter calls for an immediate permanent ceasefire, work for the release of hostages and prisoners held without due process of law alike, the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to civilians, and halting all weapons and ammunition transfers to Israel to ensure they are being used according to international law.

July 22, 2024 CMEP to Hold Prayer Vigil Ahead of Netanyahu’s Congressional Address Christian groups, led by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) will gather to pray for an immediate end to the violence being committed in Gaza and for peace for the day ahead.

July 8, 2024 Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Stands with the Diocese of Jerusalem in Expressing Dismay at the Closure of Al Ahli Arab Anglican Hospital in Gaza The closure of the hospital, the evacuation, and the declaration of the area as a red zone, in addition to the firing upon the ambulance, are all unacceptable violations of humanitarian international law. International law demands that health establishments and units, including hospitals, should not be attacked. In addition, the already vulnerable, the wounded and the sick, and those seeking shelter should not be placed in further harm or jeopardy.

June 28, 2024: Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Stands in Solidarity with the Churches of the Holy Land as Israeli Municipalities Attempt to Collect Taxes on Church-owned Properties. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) stands in solidarity with the Churches of the Holy Land as they undergo yet another attempt by Israeli municipalities to collect taxes on church-owned properties– a move that threatens the sustainability of the Churches to operate. CMEP recognizes the harm that these legal proceedings could cause to the ever-shrinking Christian community in this land. The Status Quo which has ensured religious freedom and harmony in the Holy Land must be protected.

June 21, 2024: CMEP affirms The Episcopal Church statement on Layan Nasir and detained Palestinians. The Episcopal Church is one of the founding members of CMEP’s 30-plus member communions committed to pursuing an end to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. As the war on Gaza continues, we must not ignore the ongoing pressures Palestinians continue to face in other parts of the occupied Palestinian territories. CMEP stands with The Episcopal Church in advocating for the release of Layan Nasir, the Palestinian Christian woman who continues to be held unjustly in Israeli prison. We also call for an immediate end to the war on Gaza and for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, full humanitarian access, and the release of all hostages.

See all of our public statements and press releases.