NEWS | Wednesday, 21 January 2009

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The wife of the Palestinian Ambassador to Malta, Dina Taweel Hosted, yesterday held a meeting with dignitaries to start a campaign in aid of the civilians victims of the war in Gaza.
Among the attendees were the Prime Minister’s wife, Kate Gonzi, and the spouses of Ambassadors and other dignitaries.
Taweel thanked Gonzi and the guests for their presence, and talked about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the urgency of sending badly needed necessities to the Gaza Strip.
She added that all kinds of materials are needed, including food, medicine, batteries, blankets, clothes, large tents, diapers, and formula milk. “Even after the unilateral declaration of ceasefire by Israel, there is a great need of items – we need to help the displaced, the injured and those who are without food and shelter,” Taweel said.
She added that according to the United Nations, there are around 90,000 displaced people in Gaza, including up to 50,000 children.
Taweel said that the 22-day war of continuous aerial bombardment, artillery shelling and naval firing cost over 1,000 lives and over 5,000 casualties.
She talked about about the unarmed civilians and rescuers being under attack, including Red Cross ambulances, UN convoys, UN schools and shelters, which left the civilians with nowhere safe to take refuge. “The situation is beyond description, it is a catastrophe.”
Taweel mentioned that reports stated that both the initial attacks on Gaza and the tactics being used by Israel are serious violations of the UN charter, the Geneva conventions, international law and international humanitarian law.
All material donations are to be sent to the Palestinian Embassy in Malta and will be delivered to Gaza through Jordan by the help of the Royal Charitable Jordanian Association and to Egypt with the assistance of the Egyptian Red Crescent. For more information call 21382355.

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