Letter from Gaza

JIHAD MASHAL

Director General
Palestinian Medical Relief Society Dear Friends,

The continued Israeli military operation has entered its 17th day of its continued aggression, devastating the public health system and the cost or the civilian population intensified. In the last 24 hours there were a total of 34 Palestinians martyrs and 40 injured - 42% were women and children-Totals as of 12 January (14:30PM), 912 Palestinians martyred and 3740 injured (MOH report).

The images and the testimonies that comes from Gaza provide evidences that Israel is using white phosphorus shells to screen its assault on the heavily populated Gaza Strip (Gaza Strip has 3806 Inh / KM2 as a whole one of the most populated areas of the world , Jabalia Refugee
Camp is approximately 1 / KM2 inhabited by 110000people only !!!!!!).These images show significant resemblance with those gathered and verified in the July and August conflict in 2006 in Lebanon. Attached you will find a report on this issue. We wish that some of you
forward it to institutions, organizations or networks that follow on investigating this matter.

In addition to our ongoing emergency work ,PMRS team started distributing first aid kits , to journalists who are working around the clock bringing vivid images of the ongoing human suffering, and to emergency workers who are working to repair electricity lines which
were destroyed by the air strike and bombing , besides sustaining water supply .This comes as a necessary step to provide them with materials and training that they can use themselves in life saving conditions.

We will try to keep you informed.

Warm Regards

JIHAD MASHAL
Director General

Palestinian Medical Relief Society
Quality Health Care For All

Al-Bireh , PMRS Building
P.O.Box 572
Ramallah
Palestine