Gift of the Givers and Channel Islam International invites you to a Talk by Dr Imtiaz Sooliman on "Gaza - An Eye Witness Account and the Way Forward". Programme at Houghton Masjid West Street after Esha on Wednesday, 17 September 2014. Ladies facilities provided. Contact Allauddin Sayed 0836677179 or Ebrahim Moosa 0826786377.

Please note that a visitor's tent will be set up in the yard of the

Provision of water in Gaza is a major necessity and a great difficulty because of the shortage of underground water. In this picture water gets pumped from a well into black 5000L water storage containers; from here into a water tanker which then goes to several areas where 2000L water tanks are placed at various locations for access to free water. Gift of the Givers funded the placement of

An integral aspect of our medical response was skills transfer through teaching surgical procedures in theatre, teaching during ward rounds or in group sessions. This was a historic medical mission as 8 doctors treated 1000 patients, carried out 51 surgical operations, transferred skills, worked in 2 hospitals from 8 am to 11pm and set up an outdoor clinic in Khuzaa on Friday. All this was

The medical mission to Gaza was in difficulty even before we left South Africa: requesting permission to take 38 specialists, Egypt allowed us ten only; wanting to be there at the height of the war when it was at its greatest intensity we were only granted approval on 20 August but denied clearance till 30 August; we needed our equipment and medical supplies to accompany us but our plane is still

Crossing the Suez Canal on a ferry boat. At the Rafah border on Egyptian side then Palestinian side.

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis

This was going to be the most unconventional response to a major disaster situation in that a rapid decisive intervention was not possible because borders to people dying in hundreds and injured in their thousands were inhumanely sealed off. This is the first war in history where civilians are completely sealed off facing a massacre and extermination, unable to escape through borders of

Our special thanks to South Africa's Department of International Relations for engaging the Egyptian Government and securing permission for Gift of the Givers medical teams, medical equipment, ambulance and medical supplies to cross the Rafah Border to enter Gaza with immediate effect. The Egyptian Government has provided us with a special approval number for the purpose.

 A cargo aircraft

The plight of the Palestinian people has touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Gift of the Givers has responded by delivering emergency medical supplies and food aid inside Gaza within 12 hours of the commencement of the bombing on 8 July 2014.

But this is minute relative to what is required in a crisis situation where 750 are already dead and more than 4000 injured.  Hospitals cannot cope

Dearest friends

The last night was extreme. The "ground invasion" of Gaza resulted in scores and carloads with maimed, torn apart, bleeding, shivering, dying - all sorts of injured Palestinians, all ages, all civilians, all innocent.The heroes in the ambulances and in all of Gaza's hospitals are working 12-24hrs shifts, grey from fatigue and inhuman workloads (without payment all in Shifa for the

The South African spirit of Ubuntu is incredible. It didn't even take 3 hours and we had 75 confirmed medical volunteers who responded to our request for an Emergency Medical Mission to Gaza. Trauma surgeons, anaesthetists, emergency medicine specialists, theatre nurses, paramedics and a range of diverse specialists responded to the call with enthusiasm. The danger, the risk to life and limb was

Walking through bombed alleys Gift of the Givers distribution to affected families continues.

As part of our Ramadan programme Food Parcels are handed out to needy families.  This is ongoing in spite of the war.

These are some of the medicines and medical supplies we have managed to make available within 12 hours of  the crisis. The need is massive as  the casualties multiply.  

The number of deceased are now at 92; the wounded are 650 and the number of homes destroyed stands at 153.

The 2014 Israeli bombing campaign of Gaza in this holy month of Ramadaan is relentless. The destruction of infrastructure including civilian homes, Masajids, roads, electricity and commercial facilities in a 48 hour period is bewildering but not unexpected. It is the loss of human life and the gruesome injuries, predominantly of women and children, that makes the suffering and the illegal

We have received feedback from our office in Gaza that by 13h00 today, in a period of less than 12 hours, Israeli warplanes launched 120 air-strikes on the Gaza strip. The attacks as part of "Operation Protective Edge" were random attacking civilian homes, streets, farms, police stations and resistance sites. Thus far 20 injuries have been recorded but the casualties are expected to multiply.

Medicines,

This is 10 year old Inas Amin Abu Jaber Snaimeh. She suffers from quadriplegic cerebral palsy, brain atrophy, epileptic fits and has difficulty in swallowing. She survives mostly on milk. The family of 8 were refugees at one of the UN schools but have now returned to their small apartment where walls have been bombed and most windows damaged.

The father is unemployed, has a family of 8 to feed,

Our mission is never complete in any unstable environment until we check on the needs of the minorities in that situation. We were very warmly received by Father George, an Argentinian, who spoke fluent Arabic and connected immediately with Dr Livan Turino, one of our core team members who is of Cuban origin. The visit was a highlight for the entire team; an experience in humanity, religious

All systems are in place for the Gift of the Givers mission to Gaza. The medical team departs from O.R. Tambo Airport at 9.45pm tonight.

The cargo plane with 16 tons of emergency medical supplies valued at R15 million will be landing in Egypt in 5 hours. Items donated by American NGO's to Gift of the Givers will also be released from Cairo customs into our possession tomorrow. The team will enter

During the last few days our teams have delivered further much needed aid to various hospitals in Gaza

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More Emergency Medical Supplies Delivered to the Gaza Ministry of Health on Wednesday, 16 July 2014.

Medical supplies being delivered by Gift of the Givers to hospitals in Gaza. More to follow soon.

The children in the top left picture just lost their parents. The lady in the top right picture is waving to her daughter's funeral.

As the Israeli airstrikes continue in and around Gaza the casualty rate has been steadily increasing to 100 by early this morning many of whom were women and children. Thus far 28 people have been killed. These figures are expected to increase dramatically as munitions strike densely populated civilian localities. There is an ever increasing need for medicines, general medical supplies and medical