November 29th, 2023 — Islamic Relief Canada welcomes the extension of the temporary truce agreement in Gaza, stressing that this extension must be treated as a step toward a permanent ceasefire.
The recent truce has ensured a pause of the bombing of civilians in Gaza for the first time in seven weeks, and has allowed for the safe release of some of the hostages and imprisoned children. Nevertheless, Islamic Relief Canada notes that the truce has not had the intended effect on aid access, entry and distribution for those in need.
The aid allowed into Gaza over the last few days has been woefully insufficient to address this humanitarian catastrophe, and many civilians are at risk of dying from hunger and disease. Moreover, Palestinians displaced to southern Gaza have still not been allowed to return north over the past few days – having been reportedly been shot at if they try. People continue to live in fear of what will happen after this latest extension runs out.
Quote from Islamic Relief Canada CEO Usama Khan: “The humanitarian needs in Gaza are enormous. A couple of extra days – while welcome to prevent killing – is not nearly enough to begin to tackle the humanitarian situation. The truce has not brought with it an increase in aid or humanitarian access. We desperately need a permanent ceasefire and an end to Israel’s siege on Gaza, so that humanitarian aid can enter at the scale needed to address this crisis.”
Gaza is in ruins, with almost half of all homes now damaged or destroyed and reserves of food, medicine and water still critically low. Three-quarters of hospitals are no longer functioning, and some Palestinian women, children and families are on the verge of starvation because so little food has been allowed into Gaza over the last seven weeks.
More than 1.7 million people have been forced from their homes, with many of them seeking protection in severely overcrowded shelters where diseases are rapidly spreading as children sleep out in the rain and hundreds of people share a single toilet.
Please contact [email protected] or the Communications and Government Relations Team Lead Mashaal Saeed at [email protected] or at 647-919-1580 to coordinate interviews.
About Islamic Relief Canada
Islamic Relief Canada is a registered charity in Canada that works in more than 40 countries to provide humanitarian relief and build resilient, prosperous communities. Visit islamicrelief.ca for more information.