Protect civilians in Gaza

Stop this: Smoke from an attack in Gaza on Oct 29. Thousands of civilians have died since fighting began early last month. — AFP

THE effects of carpet bombing by the Israeli air force of public places such as hospitals, mosques, churches, universities and schools in Gaza are devastating and long-lasting. Civilians are unable to access humanitarian relief as the destruction of telecommunication infrastructure makes it difficult for ambulances and civil defence teams to locate the injured or those trapped under rubble.

Gaza is a densely populated area with a population of 2.1 million, half of whom are children. The people in Gaza are not able to cross into Israel to escape the bombing as there are concrete walls built around Gaza. South-ward is Egypt, and the infrastructure there for the transport of aid has also been bombed, crippling efforts to get humanitarian assistance to the trapped Palestinians.