Following a communications cut on last Friday, CARE International has lost all contact with the team in Gaza. Our West Bank and Gaza Country Director Hiba Tibi shares her deep concern for the safety of colleagues and all civilians, urging for an immediate ceasefire:
“Since last night, we have lost contact with our CARE colleagues, family members and loved ones in Gaza, following a complete communications blackout, and reportedly the most intense round of shelling and airstrikes at any time during these last three weeks.
Our staff in Gaza said that the circumstances before to the blackout were akin to something from a horror movie and that parents had to give their kids hugs in an effort to get them to sleep.
Half of the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip are children, and they are confronting an unparalleled disaster.
Families are going without food, clean water has been exceedingly hard to come by since October 9, people are drinking tainted water, hospitals are closing due to a shortage of fuel and medication, and doctors are operating without disinfecting or even anesthesia. All of these issues are contributing to the collapse of the healthcare system. The spread of diarrhea and skin infections in overcrowded shelters is equally concerning.
We urge an immediate ceasefire before this acute crisis reaches catastrophic levels. We must ensure safe, unimpeded access for humanitarian workers so they can help people in need of assistance, which includes being able to contact our teams inside Gaza.
All parties are required to follow the unambiguous and straightforward guidelines of international humanitarian law, which include the protection of civilians, including humanitarian workers, and the upholding of the medical mission at all times. Additionally, international law provides protection to civilians who become stuck in areas where evacuation orders have been issued.
