Leading aid agency CARE International has set up a life-saving supply of medicines and equipment to hospitals in Gaza.

But the agency has warned that the emergency resources - from limited stocks within Gaza - will run out shortly. It is looking at ways of bringing supplies in quickly from elsewhere - and is calling for an end to the fighting to prevent wide-scale humanitarian catastrophe.

CARE International has already provided $20,000 worth of pharmaceuticals and medical disposables to the Al Ahli Arab hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society hospital and ambulance stations. The agency has a long-standing presence in Gaza, and was able to establish a flow of supplies to health workers within a few hours of the first bomb attack.

Health staff and facilities are overwhelmed by the sheer scale and nature of casualties flooding hospitals. CARE is planning to procure whatever additional medical and relief supplies are available locally - and is seeking clearance to bring supplies in through Israel.

Gaza has been sealed for 19 months and in the last two months humanitarian access has been reduced to the point that even basic needs have not been met - including food, medicines and support to maintain fragile civilian infrastructure including health, water and sanitation facilities.

The bombardment has destroyed five mosques, water infrastructure serving at least 20,000 people and private homes in Gaza city and refugee camps.

Families are confined to their houses. There are wheat and flour shortages. Fuel deliveries to Gaza have been irregular and far below the level of need or demand for several months. As a result people are lucky to have 6 hours of electricity a day, hospitals are running on generators and need to curtail services to conserve energy, and water and sanitation systems are only partially functional.

"The people here have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. They are already suffering food shortages and a breakdown of basic infrastructure. CARE is pleading with all sides not to increase their suffering. Stop the fighting and allow non-partisan humanitarian agencies full access to help these people," said Martha Myers, Country Director for Care International in Gaza and the West Bank. CARE will continue to provide medical assistance as well as supporting food needs of the poor and the injured.

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Media contact: Gill Amas on 07824 563810.