DFW humanitarian group worried about staff as Gaza bombardment resumes

As Israel resumes its bombardment of Gaza, nongovernmental organizations say a humanitarian crisis is worsening.

Gaza's health ministry reported at least 200 Palestinians have been killed since fighting started up again Friday morning after a weeklong truce with Hamas.

They also reported that the total death toll in Gaza since the start of the war is over 15,000, with 70% of the victims being women and children.

It also said more than 40,000 Palestinians have been wounded since Israel's retaliation began, with Hamas' attack on Oct. 7.

Hamas' attack killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The militant group also took around 240 people hostage.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society, a Red Cross affiliate, said the first convoy of 100 aid trucks since the fighting resumed arrived in Gaza from Egypt on Saturday.

Many NGOs say only a fraction of the thousands of truckloads of aid needed are getting into Gaza.

Vivian Khalaf, chairwoman of the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, said they were able to get some aid, like medical supplies, into Gaza in the early days of the war.

"We were able to recoup some of the items that were literally left in the streets by the merchants who had to flee and leave their businesses with the doors open," Khalaf said. "So, there has been some supplies who have gotten to the right people at the right time. Other than that, all humanitarian relief organizations are paralyzed."

PCRF is a humanitarian relief group focusing primarily on medical care for sick and injured children, focusing on Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan.

During the pause, she said they could get some toys and hygiene equipment in, but that's it.

She said PCRF, which has a DFW chapter, is partnering with other, more prominent groups like the Red Crescent and the World Health Organization, but they're all paralyzed, blocked from getting in.

She said she has pallets of aid in neighboring Jordan and over 150 doctors ready to mobilize, including in North Texas.

"We're not talking about Palestinian physicians exclusively or Arab physicians. These are of every color, of every nationality, of every religion who see what's happening and stand ready to help just as human beings," Khalaf said.

Khalaf also has Gazan staff and is worried about their safety.

She said they have all been displaced, and half of them evacuated to Southern Gaza after Israel's orders to do so, but even that area isn't safe from Israel's bombs.

"As we have been witnessing on our television screens, even those who have been asked to evacuate and to leave have been bombed," Khalaf said. "There is no safe place for anyone in Gaza right now. There are no bomb shelters, there's nowhere to run, there's nowhere to hide."

She said she receives sporadic updates from half of her staff. She's lost contact with the other half, left only hope and prayer for their safety.

Khalaf said PCRF had a physician mission scheduled to go to Gaza the day the war broke out and had to cancel it. Two American doctors who volunteered to perform surgeries got stuck in the territory but have since been brought back home, she said.

Khalaf said she had seen multiple wars but had never experienced something like this.

"I've never, and I can speak on behalf of many like me, never, ever felt as helpless and as angry as I do now," she said.

The Palestinian said she feels "that the world has abandoned me and my people," and feels guilty of not being able to do more.

She continued to demand an end to "the cycle of violence."

"I'm asking President Biden and the entire international community to please stop the violence and allow for organizations such as ourselves to be able to do the work that needs to get done," she said. "Allow us to operate and to save lives, to operate on the ground in Gaza, to be able to send our staff and our volunteers out to find those in need and to provide them with the lifesaving help that we're able to offer."