Gaza violence affects SOS beneficiaries

As the violence in the Gaza Strip continues, the children and staff of the SOS Children’s Village in Rafah remain unharmed. However, dozens of beneficiaries of the SOS Children's Villages Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) have been affected.

The SOS Social Centre has been closed since the Israeli campaign began on December 27th and staff and volunteers have been advised to stay at home and communicate only via telephone. According to reports, a number of governmental buildings close to the Social Centre have been destroyed by Israeli air strikes.

Sadly, a 13 year-old child from an FSP family in the northern town of Jabaliya has been severely wounded. The hospital, which has been operating well above capacity since the beginning of the recent conflict escalation, had to discharge him despite his critical health condition.

Many forced to abandon their homes

Meanwhile, five families from the FSP in Jabaliya have been displaced after their houses were destroyed by air raids. Two more have had to abandon their houses from fear they will be targeted. It is thought the families have moved in with relatives or into UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) schools in the town.

Houses of several FSP families from the towns of Khan Yunis, Deir Elbalah and El Burij were destroyed and their inhabitants forced to seek shelter elsewhere. In Rafah, the situation remains dire with seven families, who were living close to the Egyptian border, re-locating to UNRWA schools to seek refuge. One of the houses has been reportedly damaged by the air strikes.

Many families from the FSP’s have faced severe food shortages. The SOS Children's Village in Rafah and our local partners have been delivering basic food items to the families.

The Family Strengthening Programme is assisting 900 children (187 families) by providing food parcels, academic support and child care activities. The programme has also been training care givers to help them run their own micro-projects through providing management skills and literacy courses and raising awareness on children and women's rights.

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