Gaza civil defense body appeals for help to get rescue equipment

By Mohammad Majid

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza on Sunday appealed to neighboring countries and the international community to press on Israel to allow the entrance of rescue equipment amid the ongoing Israeli attacks on the blockaded city.

"We urge the neighboring countries and the international community to help in allowing the entrance of equipment and rescue teams to take part in following the effects of the ongoing aggression on Gaza," said Sameer al-Khatib, assistant director general of the organization that is responsible for emergency services in Palestine.

Al-Khatib said the body is facing severe shortages of equipment, as well as capacity, due to the ongoing Israeli blockade for 14 years.

He said Israeli attacks on Gaza have exhausted the civil defense teams, as there are countless areas which have been bombed and require rescue operations.

Israeli warplanes carried out heavy airstrikes on a residential area in Gaza City at dawn on Sunday, leaving at least 42 Palestinians killed, most of them women and children.

At least 192 Palestinians, including 58 children and 34 women, have been killed and 1,235 injured since May 10 when Tel Aviv launched the offensive.

*Ahmed Asmar in Ankara contributed to this report