Derry donations saving lives in Gaza, say Trócaire

On launching the appeal, Trócaire CEO Caoimhe de Barra said that the horrendous situation in Gaza has already resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent women, men and children and the unacceptable death toll continues to rise.

Ms De Barra said: “As well as those who have tragically lost their lives, many more people have been seriously injured. The situation is posing huge challenges for Trócaire’s partners but they are making a difference thanks to the support of the public in Derry. Trócaire’s partner organisation, Medical Aid for Palestinians, is working against the odds in Gaza to ensure that those injured, many of them children, receive urgent medical care to give them the best chance of survival. Another partner, Caritas Jerusalem, has seen their medical centre and clinic in Gaza City damaged in the bombardment but staff are continuing to strive to provide whatever medical support they can. This life-saving work has been made possible by the generosity of people here at home.

“The recent temporary truce allowed for limited humanitarian aid to reach those desperately in need of food, water, and medical assistance, and the release of hostages and those arbitrarily detained allowed them to be reunited with their families. However, a pause is not enough. A permanent ceasefire needs to be brokered to bring an end to the hostilities that have seen thousands of Palestinian and Israeli civilian lives lost, the majority of them women and children.

GAA legend and Trócaire Ambassador Oisin McConville has launched the Trócaire Christmas Appeal which this year focuses on ‘Children in Conflict’. The appeal is highlighting the fact that more than 450 million children in the world - one out of every six young lives - are living in a conflict zone. Oisin previously travelled to Gaza with Trócaire and Gaza is quite rightly in the headlines at the moment but it’s not just there where children are bearing the brunt of violence and conflict. From Gaza to Ukraine, from Ethiopia to Sudan, children are living in fear. Trócaire is asking people here at home to support the Christmas Appeal which will provide survival kits, emergency dignity kits and essential food baskets for these children and their families, as well as supporting critical work across Trócaire’s global programmes.

“Many of Trócaire’s local partner organisations in the Gaza Strip have been unable to operate in recent weeks, and they have suffered their own horrendous ordeals through displacement and loss of friends and families. When they are able to do so, they must be allowed to return to delivering lifesaving medical care, psychosocial support and legal assistance to the people of Gaza,” Caoimhe de Barra said.

Before the escalation of violence last month, the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip already faced acute humanitarian needs, with more than 80% of the population dependent on some form of humanitarian assistance. Today, 1.7 million of the 2.2 million residents of the Gaza Strip are internally displaced, in an area that is only one sixth the size of County Derry.

“Gaza is quite rightly in the headlines at the moment but it’s not just there where children are bearing the brunt of violence and conflict. From Gaza to Ukraine, from Ethiopia to Sudan, today we are highlighting the fact that over 450 million children in the world - one out of every six young lives - are living in a conflict zone.

“Imagine life for a child caught in a conflict zone this Christmas. In many cases they have no food, no clean water to drink or safe place to rest their heads. Fragile. Frightened.

"We are asking people here at home to support our Christmas Appeal which will provide survival kits, emergency dignity kits and essential food baskets for these children and their families, as well as supporting critical work across Trócaire’s global programmes.”

To make a donation to Trócaire, visit trocaire.org.