Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), based in Abbotsford, is sending emergency funds to help families whose homes were bombed during recent fighting between Israel and Hamas.
A ceasefire was announced on Nov. 21, but many families were impacted by the fighting.
Conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip resulted in Hamas firing rockets into Israel, and Israel conducting an intensive attack from air and sea. More than 150 people were killed, many of them children.
Gazans have very limited space to move out of harm’s way and there were no safe shelters in which to take refuge. There are restrictions to the flow of goods and people in and out of Gaza, so Palestinians there were unable to escape constant bombardment by fleeing to another country or safer space.
MCC’s partners are determining needs and purchasing and distributing supplies, supported by $20,000 from MCC.
Supplies include mattresses, pillows, blankets and kitchen utensils for 60 families in Khan Younis and 60 families in the Gaza City area.
To donate, make cheques out to MCC BC and marked for “MCC Palestine/Israel Response.” Send to PO Box 2038, 31414 Marshall Rd., Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 1P5. Donations can also be made online at donate.mcc.org or by phone to 604-850-6639 or toll free at 1-888-622-6337.