Emergency Gaza

Gaza

A small minority of about 2,500 Christians live in the Gaza strip among a total population of 1.5 million. The population and specifically the children suffer from extreme hardship due to the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel in Gaza, the coming to power of Hamas and the operation “Cast Lead” that saw innumerable casualties, over 1,300 fatalities and sheer unfathomable destruction in early 2009, as well as the Israeli blockade in general in Gaza.

The Gaza Strip

The Gaza strip is around 40km in length and 10km in width. This coastal area of land is home to around 1.5 million Arab Palestinians, around half of which are minors. Around two thirds of the population are refugees, forced to abandon their homes following the wars of 1948 and 1967 and move to one of the 8 refugee camps now found on the Gaza strip. The high population density coupled with the difficulties following the recent embargo imposed as a security measure by Israel has made the Gaza Strip one of the most troubled areas in the Middle East. Most of the population survives on less than two dollars a day and around 80% depend on humanitarian aid provided by international organizations and other NGO’s.

The Catholic parish in Gaza

The Catholic parish in Gaza counts just under 250 members, at present. Despite a lively and warm community life, the atmosphere is dampened. Arab Christians face a difficult situation in the Muslim environment in Gaza, though they share the same fate as their Palestinian brethren – Israeli occupation and respectively the blockade of Gaza – being Christians, they aren’t part of the governing Muslim majority and thus are often viewed as collaborators of the West. The economy has long since collapsed, resulting in soaring unemployment and poverty. There are currently serious shortages medical supplies and little or no access to clean water.

The project of ATS pro Terra Sancta in Gaza supports two activities:

Support to the Christian community in Gaza

Economic support to the families and Christian children in Gaza

Support for the disabled people in the Gaza Strip

Support to two facilities, offering training and education regarding respecting and taking care of disabled people in Palestinian society

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Support the Holy Sites and the Christian presence in the Holy Land!

You can donate:

ONLINE on http://www.proterrasancta.org/en/help/

BY BANK TRANSFER

ATS – Associazione di Terra Santa
Banca Popolare Etica
IBAN: IT67 W050 18121010 0000 0122691 – BIC CODE: CCRTIT2T84A

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