Palestinian MP:

80% of Palestinians in Gaza live in extreme poverty

TEHRAN (defapress) – Member of Palestinian Legislative Council Jamal al-Khudari in an interview with Mehr News called on UN and other international bodies to step up humanitarian assistance to war-torn Gaza Strip.

News ID: 65923

Date: 13 September 2017 - 13:17

"Currently, many of the infrastructures in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed and no reconstruction work has yet begun during these years,” Member of Palestinian Legislative Council Jamal al-Khudari said in an interview with MNA, adding "lack of restoration efforts for the destroyed infrastructures in the Gaza Strip is due to the continued Israeli siege over this area.”

Al-Khudari, who also chairs the Popular Committee against the Siege, went on to add "in terms of human condition, the situation in Gaza is becoming more and more complicated and severe. The people of Gaza are facing a severe shortage of foodstuff and medicine. Drinking water is difficult to find, and there are a lot of power outages. Right now, 80 percent of Gaza population live in extreme poverty.”

"If the current grave situation persists; that is, the environmental problems, water and electricity issues, etc., will not be resolved in the Gaza Strip, living in this area will be extremely difficult in the next three years,” he said.

The Palestinian lawmaker went on to add, "the steps that the United Nations and the international community have taken for Palestine and the people of Gaza have been terribly small. Right now, the Gaza Strip is faced with many problems and is in great need of more assistance from the UN and other international organizations.”

"Assistance and support in small scales will not resolve any of our people’s issues,” he added.

Al-Khudari called on the international community to make more efforts toward the realization of the rights of the Palestinians and people of Gaza, adding "threats of waging a new war against the Gaza Strip will not yield any results.”