As a continuation of previous stages of delivering food items to those in the Palestinian Territories, LIFE has concluded Phase IV of its emergency food distribution to the areas most poverty-stricken families. As the holy month of Ramadan drew to a close last week, there was a concerted effort to mesh the Ramadan food distribution efforts into the emergency relief food efforts in order to maximize on the efficiency of field staff.

As a result, LIFE delivered food packages to 2000 families in a matter of one week, ensuring that joy is spread to a maximum number of people just in time for the Eid festivities. The food package distribution was focused primarily on the Gaza Strip as other areas such as the West Bank saw a number of previous food distributions. This amazing show of dedication and successful accomplishment was made possible through a strong collaborative effort with the Society of Rural Women and Agricultural Relief.

It is important to highlight that this particular distribution proved to be the most challenging for LIFE in the Palestinian Territories. It necessitated the support of an Arabic member of the Knesset, Mr. Mohamad Baraka and allowed LIFE's Regional Director to gain approval to cross 2000 food packages into the Gaza Strip via the Soufa Port. At 8 am, October 20, 2006, LIFE staff and caravan were among the 58 trucks waiting in line to make their way into the Gaza Strip.

As trucks began moving across the bridge, three rockets were fired directly at the bridge and hitting their target. As a result, the bridge was immediately closed by the Israeli Army and as such, LIFE staff moved their caravan to the Mintar Bridge to unload the packages. After several attempts to cross at Mintar Bridge and being turned away by Israeli soldiers and ordered back to LIFE's headquarters in Nazareth, field staff refused to give up their hope to deliver the food items to the Gaza Strip families who were depending on LIFE for a less hungry end to a long month of fasting. Once again, Mohamad Baraka of the Knesset was called upon for his assistance which he willingly and graciously extended. He directed Life staff to once again head back to Soufa Bridge. But this time they were placed at the beginning of the cue and were given preference for immediate crossing. The food items made it safely to those they were destined to reach.

Families in the cities of Khan Younis, Rafah, Gaza City, Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoon, Jabaleya, Mukhayam Al-Buraij, Mukhayam Al-Maghazi, Mukhayam Al-Nusayrat, Al-Zuwadeya, and Deir Al-Balah, all saw many incidents of food package delivery to their neediest and most bereft families. These cities were the primary targets of this distribution due to their well-publicized and escalating circumstance of destitution over the past six months' events.

The families as always are selected based on a number of conditions; that each family include 5+ members, that the head of household for that family be unemployed or without pay since July of 2006, that they be residents of camps, that they have not been able to access any other form of social service assistance, and that they be among the countless families who lost their homes or lands as a direct result of the occupation.

LIFE for Relief and Development asks God, most Gracious and Merciful, to accept our donor's donations and our staff's dedication and efforts and thanks all those who participated in making this distribution the resounding success it was; beyond the continuing efforts to depress and isolate the people of the Gaza Strip.

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