Dear friends

In light of the latest onslaught in Gaza we have drafted the below statement, which is now posted at the “in focus” section at the I RCT homepage (click here to see the statement on the homepage). FYI, Giorgio Caracciolo was in contact with colleagues both at GCMHP and Jesoor earlier today, and based on this we have tried to focus on the plight of torture victims in Gaza and the safety of our colleagues there, just like we did last month in connection with the violence in Kenya .

It is indeed sad times, but at least it is comforting that our colleagues in Gaza are unhurt, and both the UN and the EU have reacted strongly, calling the attacks “excesive and disproportionate”, which of course they are. Let’s pray for the safety of our friends in Gaza and that this madness will be brought to an end soon.

Warm regards

Brita and Sune

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Military attacks on Gaza threaten torture victims’ access to treatment and bring new wave of trauma

The I RCT is extremely concerned over the safety of colleagues and clients of its member centres in the Gaza Strip as well as the safety of all civilians affected by the ongoing violence in the area.

According to several sources, in the course of five days Israeli military attacks have killed at least 112 persons in the Gaza Strip, among them many civilians, including children and one two-day-old baby. In the same period three Israelis - one civilian and two soldiers - have been killed by rockets fired by Palestinian armed groups.

Of particular worry to the I RCT is that Israeli air strikes have destroyed vital health services in Gaza , including an Oxfam-funded health clinic and the headquarters of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society.

The I RCT has two member centres operating in the Gaza Strip: the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme and Jesoor – Transcultural Right to Health. In recent conversations, colleagues at both centres told the I RCT Secretariat in Copenhagen that the violence is seriously impeding delivery of services to certain areas of Gaza . The colleagues also expressed deep concern that the current violence is significantly affecting an already traumatised population in general and their clients in particular.

The I RCT reiterates its previous assertion that the right to health is a fundamental human right, and that hampering access to health services represents a grave violation of human rights. Accordingly, the I RCT calls for an immediate cessation of all violence against civilians and urges the government of Israel to immediately halt and in the future refrain from any actions that may obstruct the access of Gaza’s civilian population to medical treatment.
 

For more information

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme

Jesoor – Transcultural Right to Health