“Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu
Twitter for the flotilla
Lets change the news trends on Twitter and get the flotilla news to the top of the Twitter trend list. The last campaign to get Palestine to the top of the Twitter trend list
was very successful.
The Israeli Hasbara megaphone is in over drive, spreading false news in relation to the
Gaza siege, from Mark Regev denying Israel ever dropped white phosphorous on Gaza, to claims of adequate supplies going into Gaza from Israel.
Here you can find a list of allowed goods, take into consideration what you and your family use…….. Its the goods that are left out that speaks loudest here.
List of Goods Allowed into Gaza Strip as in April 2010
Source [as quoted from BBC]: Confidential information from international groups (The list refers to goods brought in by commercial importers. Humanitarian organisations, including UN agencies, also bring goods into Gaza. They have consistently been allowed to bring in staple foods and medicines, while other items are approved or rejected on a case-by-case basis).
http://www.alzaytouna.net/arabic/?c=1523&a=115439#list
So if you want to do something to help the Gaza Freedom Flotilla ……. Become a “Flotilla Twitter”. With your help we can get the flotilla to the top of the trend list in the right way.
According to a July 2009 report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Jerusalem, Gaza doctors and nurses do not have the medical equipment to respond to the health needs of the 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip.
Medical equipment is often broken, lacking spare parts, or outdated.
WHO attributes the dismal state of Gaza’s healthcare system to the Israeli blockade of the territory, tightened in June 2007 after Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the West, seized control. The poor organization of maintenance services in Gaza compounds the problem, reports WHO.
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/news.php?id=28d34f486ac0735c23020628f904f088&mode=details
Nothing has changed in the situation
On Thursday, 18 May 2010, the General Directorate of Pharmacy at the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that 110 types of medications and 123 types of medical supplies had run out. It further added that an additional 76 types of medications and 60 types of medical supplies are expected to run out within the next three months. The General Directorate stated that the shortage of medications and medical supplies has led to a health crisis, which threatens the lives of thousands of patients, particularly those suffering from chronic diseases. The health services offered to 1.5 million civilians in the Gaza Strip have been deteriorating for some time, especially following the vast destruction of health facilities during the latest Israeli Offensive on the Gaza Strip and the ongoing blockade that prevents the import of materials needed for reconstructing those facilities and prevents the supply of medical consignments to the Gaza Strip’s hospitals and health centers.
http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6681:110-types-of-medication-and-123-types-of-medical-supplies-out-of-stock-at-health-facilities-in-the-gaza-strip-&catid=36pchrpressreleases&Itemid=194
Gaza power plant shuts down for lack of fuel
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A Gaza Power Generating Company (GPGC) employee presses a button at the company’s power plant in Nusseirat. The sole power plant in the besieged Gaza Strip was shut down because fuel supplies ran out, with Palestinians and Israel blaming each other.
AFP – The sole power plant in the besieged Gaza Strip was shut down on Friday because fuel supplies ran out, with Palestinians and Israel blaming each other.
“The power plant shut down completely this morning as a result of a shortage of fuel caused by the Israeli siege,” said Kanaan Obeid, assistant director of Gaza’s electricity authority, referring to the Israeli blockade of Gaza since its 2007 takeover by the Islamist Hamas movement.
http://www.france24.com/en/20100409-gaza-power-plant-shuts-down-lack-fuel
A year after a 22-day war, Gaza is still a disaster zone and the population is even more dependent on aid. The people of Gaza continue to face food shortages and poverty is widespread.
Many of those who lost their homes still do not have adequate shelter. There has been little improvement in the health system as there is a severe lack of medicine and medical supplies.
There is also a desperate need for building supplies to rebuild some of what was lost in the war, for materials to help repair water and sanitation facilities and fuel for the power plant.
http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/emergencies/palestine-humanitarian-crisis
The Constant Crisis in Gaza
The Gaza Strip has been facing a humanitarian crisis ever since April of 2006, when border closings and the lack of foreign aid caused a severe shortage of fuel, foods and medical care. Gazans suffer shortages of essen-tial commodities and the rise in market prices has made it difficult for families to have an adequate, healthy and balanced diet.
The Karni crossing, which serves as the main conduit for commercial goods into Gaza, has been closed since June 13th, 2007. This has devastated the Gazan economy. ”In June 2007, there were 748 truckloads of ex-ports leaving Gaza for Israel and other countries. A month later there were none”.
In Gaza over 80% of Palestinians are now depending on foreign aid compared to 63% of 2006. Unem-ployment in Gaza is close to 40% and is set to rise to 50%. The private sector – that generates 53% of all jobs in Gaza is crumbling.
The health sector remains unstable as the severe lack of fuel causes power cuts. According to the July 2007,UNRWA Gaza Situation Report, primary and secondary health care facilities are still functioning de-spite shortages of electricity and supplies such as X-ray film, laboratory kits, patient beds and examination tables. However there are ongoing shortages of chronic disease drugs and anaesthetics, and a considerable portion of equipment and machines are out of order, overloading the remaining capacity of hospitals.
WHO reports that at least 51 people have died from October 2007-July 2008 as a direct result of not being able to access medical care outside Gaza – among these were 11 children.
The fuel shortage and the lack of spare parts required to repair and upgrade Gaza’s wastewater treatment plants have forced the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility to continue dumping approximately 84,000 m3 of raw and partially treated sewage into the Mediterranean Sea each day.
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article6
I forgot to add my twitter name…… bahebakyagaza:-)
The Palestine Activists Handbook 