House of Welcome Urges Government for Unhindered Humanitarian Aid for Gaza Amidst Catastrophic Crisis
House of Welcome offers comprehensive wrap-around assistance to people seeking asylum from around the world, irrespective of race, religion, gender or identity. We provide transitional housing to 86 people every night of the year, including to four Palestinian families from Gaza, while also delivering emergency assistance to several hundred more people seeking asylum in our community. Through our work with these families, we have been closely monitoring the situation in Gaza and have gained valuable firsthand insights from those who have been directly affected. Based on this firsthand information, we offer the following comments.
Following the expiration of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement on March 1st between Israel and Hamas, the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza has been blocked by the Israeli government. This has further exacerbated an already catastrophic situation in Gaza for the Palestinian people who are experiencing widespread destruction of infrastructure, multiple displacements, lack of food and total collapse of their health system.
Thousands of children in Gaza are suffering from malnutrition, disease and psychological trauma. Seven newborn babies reportedly died from hypothermia over the past weeks due to lack of warm clothes, shelter and access to health care. The blockage of humanitarian assistance will lead to even more devastating consequences for the 1.1 million children living in Gaza.
House of Welcome is extremely concerned that humanitarian assistance is being weaponised as a political bargaining tool. Blocking the entry of food, medicines, fuel, and shelter is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. The people of Gaza need immediate and unrestricted access to humanitarian supplies.
House of Welcome urges the Australian Government to demand the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, irrespective of the negotiations taking place between warring parties in relation to the ceasefire agreement.
Photo credit: AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi