.: GAZZELLA :.

PMRS / Gaza

July 19^th, 2014 11:30

For the thirteenth day in a row, the Israeli offensive against Gaza continues where so far 319 people have been killed and 2320 people were wounded, more than 50% of whom are women, children and elderly and many are paramedics and medical staff.

And as the ground operation continues for the second day, thousands of people have fled their homes, especially those living near the borders. UNRWA estimates that right now more than thirty thousand people have taken shelter at 34 of its schools.

In addition to the continued bombardment, Palestinians are now experiencing longer hours of electricity cuts due to Israeli bombardment of at least thirteen power lines and the inability to repair them in light of the dangerous situation. Israel also stopped its supply of electricity to Gaza. In some areas, electricity is available only two hours a day.

And according to the ministry of health, doctors believe that Israel has been using lethal and internationally banned weapons against Gaza and called upon international organizations to come to Gaza to investigate and document the use of such weapons.

Today the ministry of health announced medicine and medical disposables stock is almost running out, mainly medicine needed for emergencies, ICU and operations.

Human rights organizations called for immediate action to enable evacuation of wounded in Gaza: Physicians for Human Rights-Israel called upon the Israeli military to provide protection “to rescue teams and medical personnel in the Gaza Strip, to allow them to perform their duties without exposing them to danger. This will ensure the principle of the sanctity of life and would avoid delays in evacuating the wounded – delays which may be critical and result in more loss of life.”