What is the humanitarian situation in Gaza right now?
Nothing has entered Gaza since the conflict with Iran began. They would need about 600-700 trucks a day, but only two or three arrive. Furthermore, with this rainy and cold climate, it’s impossible to stay in tents. Gaza has become unlivable , it’s hell on earth. The situation is disastrous.
In addition to the ongoing preparations to reopen our school in June, we are committed to sustaining and strengthening our humanitarian efforts to support the community. Medicines are in short supply and it’s nearly impossible to get them in. Even the Rafah crossing (the only crossing point between the Gaza Strip and Egypt) is closed, and none of the 22,000 patients who urgently need transfers are able to leave. There is no electricity, and the renewed suspension of vital fuel deliveries through the WHO has effectively paralyzed most hospital operations, leaving us—painfully—with few resources to meet the enormous humanitarian needs.
And in the West Bank?
Until before the war with Iran, a few tourists could be seen in the Holy Land. Restaurants were reopening. Businesses were beginning to recover. But now the Old City of Jerusalem is considered a dangerous place, and shops are barred from opening. Everything is closed. Those who can leave. Those who remain have no resources to survive.
What can be done?
No longer able to support the creation of new businesses because the political climate doesn’t allow it, we have returned to supporting existing businesses that are on the verge of collapse or closure. Thousands of people, even those in their 60s and 70s, are looking for work to support their families. The Christian community, which is more closely linked to the tourism sector here than others, is particularly affected: the unemployment rate among Christians is now 62 percent. Therefore, creating jobs and supporting existing businesses has proven to be an excellent strategy for ensuring a dignified life for many. This support also sets in motion another mechanism…
Which?
Small businesses have begun to get to know each other thanks to our community projects, which have enabled networking among beneficiaries and have created a network of mutual relationships : if you have a bakery and I’m a hairdresser, I buy from you and you come to me for a haircut. They support each other. This is wonderful.
What other areas need attention?
The Zababdeh area, located in the northern West Bank, near Jenin, is where Israeli authorities and the army are demolishing refugee camps. This has led to a large number of internally displaced people turning to the Church for help: people who ask us every day for food and shelter.
So far, AMU has supported the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in its actions in Gaza.
Yes, with your support, we’ve done a lot in the Gaza Strip . When almost no one else had access, thanks to the support of your donors, we distributed fresh fruits and vegetables and canned goods; mattresses and blankets for the facilities where we housed displaced people; and diesel fuel for the generators in those same facilities. And we covered part of the high costs of transporting essential goods. You provided a lifeline to people who had nothing.
A new AMU support program for your activities in the West Bank will soon be launched. What are the prospects?
This is a very important project to allow people to remain in their lands and live with dignity without constantly relying on subsidies. The needs in the West Bank are enormous, but through this new project, we will be able to provide younger generations with the opportunity to remain. For example, 91 percent of businesses and activities providing services in the Bethlehem area have had to downsize. No one is hiring new employees. Our intervention will serve to support these businesses, with the dual benefit of ensuring a decent income for individuals and ensuring that businesses and organizations continue to provide their services. For example, in the West Bank, we have an extensive network of organizations, nearly 300, that provide assistance to people with disabilities, the sick, and the elderly. By supporting the cost of these employees, we also ensure the continuity of these services.
Is there still time for the future in this tormented land?
Time is not on our side. That’s why we also need your support . We’re doing our best to rekindle hope; people are tired, exhausted, and frustrated. Even if the war ended tomorrow, it would take time for confidence to return.
What message would you like to leave us with at the end of this interview?
The most powerful message is that of His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa: let us remain here rooted in our faith, in our land, and let us continue to hope and work hard for peace, to see hope in people’s eyes, so that even those who can no longer take it can tell their children that the future will be better.
(Photo: Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)