This report covers the period of 11/01/2009 (09:00am) till 12/01/2009 (09:00am)
For the 16th consecutive day of the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, PRCS is still at its highest level of alert in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
PRCS is deeply concerned over the continuous suffering of civilians particularly women, children, elderly and those with special needs, who lost their protection and human dignity by the current Israeli army aggression on Gaza strip.
The situation of victims in the affected area is getting more and more precarious. The PRCS EMS stations in Gaza strip receive tens of calls on a daily bases from people in the affected areas asking help.
"In more than 135 attempts to coordinate access, through the ICRC, to enter into the affected areas, only five cases were succeeded… in the five cases we were not able to complete our humanitarian tasks because of the obstacles and the gunfire by the Israeli soldiers… the ICRC staff witnessed the Israeli army shooting at the medical teams… We request from the ICRC to put pressure on the Israeli authorities to enable the medical teams to carry out its humanitarian mission, to alleviate the suffering of the wounded, the sick, the pregnant women, especially in the affected and the isolated areas". Dr. Muhamad Awadeh, PRCS' director of emergency medical services , said.
PRCS condemns the Israeli army's continuous hampering of access to medical personnel and ambulances to casualties and targeting them. Yesterday, two PRCS medical personnel received Gaz inhalation in Khan Younis area. It is worth mentioning that this unknown Gaz smells bad and causes the loose of consciousness, difficulties in breathing and headache.
The health and environmental situation in Gaza Strip is alarming. Many wounded people are dying as a result of not accessing urgent medical attention. Many dead bodies are still scattered in the streets and under the rubbles of the destroyed houses in most of the affected areas. The inability of the medical teams to evacuate the dead led to the decomposition of bodies due to the fact that the medical teams are not able to enter these areas, despite of all the ICRC coordination efforts.
Casualties :
PRCS remains extremely concerned over the Israeli army excessive use of force which flagrantly violates the principle of proportionality. A large number of civilians wounded and killed as a result of the heavy Israeli air strikes and indiscriminate bombardments all over the Gaza strip.
During the past 24 hours, the PRCS ambulances and medical teams were dispatched to tens of locations, where Israeli army conducted air strikes, land and see bombardments. According to PRCS records, 27 deaths and 127 injuries, including children, women, elderly, were transported by PRCS ambulances and medical teams.
Table of the total number of casualties:
| Total number of Deaths | Children | Women | Men & Elderly |
| 890 | 250 | 110 | 530 |
| Total number of injuries |
|
|
|
| 4090 | 1350 | 550 | 1190 |
Please note that the casualties' numbers above are not final since there any unknown number of casualties in areas that the medical teams could not enter till the moment. Total number of deaths and injuries served by PRCS medical teams and ambulances:Situation in Gaza hospitals: Gaza Strip hospitals and medical premises have suffered severe shortages of medical supplies over the past 18 months' blockade and are not equipped enough to receive mass casualties. Hospital Operating Rooms are overflowing, and running out of essential medicines. Hospitals and other medical facilities are also understaffed and not able to respond to the load of injuries. Hospitals were being overwhelmed with patients and were running out of space and supplies.
Palestine Red Crescent Intervention:According to the PRCS EMS stations records, approximately 2000 injuries and 571 fatalities were transported by the PRCS ambulances since the beginning of the military operation.
PRCS received humanitarian assistance form the UNICEF, which includes 280 drinking water kits and 550 family water kits.
PRCS distributed baby milk and drinking water to 20 Palestinian families (95 persons), who left there homes in Tal Al Hawa area for safety.
Yesterday, PRCS Al Quds hospital received seven Egyptian doctors, who visit the hospital to check the injuries.
Yesterday three PRCS ICU ambulances assisted in transporting wounded cases from the hospitals to the Rafah border.
Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive, around 200 PRCS volunteers, 60 medics and 120 medical staff were actively involved in providing emergency care in Gaza Strip.
PRCS' challenges:PRCS evacuated some of its premises for safety reasons. Since ten days, PRCS EMS station in Jabaliya has been evacuated for safety reasons.
Although the PRCS is doing coordination with the ICRC to allow the ambulances and the medical teams enter these locations to evacuate injuries and deaths, and to ensure their safety, PRCS ambulances and medical teams still have no access to the affected areas, which resulted in the death of several wounded.
PRCS faces a problem in the communication networks particularly in the northern part of Gaza Strip. In addition, PRCS EMS stations in Gaza faces the cut of telephone network, affecting the respond of the 101 to people's calls. An alternative line was organized, and the PRCS calls upon the people in Gaza city to contact the PRCS operations room in Gaza and PRCS Al Quds hospital if there is any emergency.
Urgent needs: PRCS medical facilities in Gaza Strip need disposables, medicine, medical equipments, Humanitarian aid, relief items, food, water, fuel etc…for more information on the PRCS urgent needs please see the Preliminary PRCS Emergency Appeal 2009- Gaza Strip at the following link:
http://www.palestinercs.org/Reports/PRCSPreliminaryEmergencyAppeal2009GazaStrip.pdf
Donate to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Gaza:PRCS launched Gaza emergency appeal 2009 that could be access through PRCS website
www.palestinercs.orgDirect donations could be done through Palestine red crescent special account number 9090- 652753/513 - Arab Bank - Ramallah Al Balad Branch, Swift No. ARABPS 22090 - Correspondent Bank: CREDIT SUISSE
(HEAD OFFICE) - ZURICH CH - SWIFT CODE: CRESCHZZ80A
OUR USD ACC. # 0835080431314780
THROUGH: AMERICAN EXPRESS
SWIFT CODE: AEIBUS33 - ROUTING # 026001591
Or
Donate online through special account at Map Canada You can donate on line by clicking on the link http://www.mapcan.org/english.html and click on ‘’donations’’, then select the button donate now of ‘’Canadahelps’’
Select ‘’Medical aid for Palestine’’, then ‘’ Emergency Campaign for Gaza’’for the fund designation and finally write for PRCS in the note section..
HQ Location: PRCS
