The Unlikely Missionary

This is a news alert that came from the World Vision Jerusalem office:

World Vision Jerusalem-West Bank-Gaza

News Alert – 13 June, 2007

Is Gaza heading towards civil war?

By Wadi Razzouk – Communications Officer

More than 55 people have been killed and close to 200 have been wounded in the fiercest and latest round of clashes between Fatah and Hamas that broke out three days ago. However, this time it seems that Hamas is trying to achieve a decisive military victory that would leave the Gaza Strip under its control.

The World Vision offices in Jabaliya (North Gaza) and Rafah (South Gaza) have been closed due to the ferocious fighting. The staff of the northern office said that a man was shot just outside the office by a sniper. All World Vision projects in the Gaza Strip have been put on hold, hoping that the fighting will subside soon.

Hamas seems to be in control of most of the parts in the Gaza Strip and has issued an ultimatum to Fatah and the Palestinian Authority security apparatus loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas to surrender their weapons by Friday afternoon.

Many of the victims killed in the past days were innocent civilians, including women and children.

There were reports about battles for control of hospitals throughout the Gaza Strip. Al-Awdah hospital in the northern town of Beit Hanoun was occupied two days ago by Hamas militants. Four people were killed in that battle. World Vision supplied medicines and medical supplies to this private hospital last year.

There is deep concern that these clashes might be a prelude to a civil war, which forebodes a worsening in the humanitarian crisis for the 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip. Their suffering is immense even without the infighting with 80 percent of the population dependent on food aid for daily survival.

Please join us in praying for peace in the Gaza Strip, in an area that seems to have seen all possible kinds of suffering.