Bahrain Red Crescent provides food for Palestinian families in Hebron – ICRC press release/Non-UN document

7-03-2007  Regional news  

Bahrain Red Crescent provides food for Palestinian families in Hebron

Food parcels donated by the Bahrain Red Crescent have been distributed to 1,800 families in Hebron severely affected by strict closures.

The following was issued as a press release by the ICRC delegation in Jerusalem

Since 2001 the ICRC has distributed food parcels each month to 1,800 families in Hebron who are particularly affected by strict closures. Each family also receives hygiene kits four times a year with enough supplies such as toothpaste, soap and shampoo to last three months.

The Bahrain Red Crescent donated 6,000 food parcels at the beginning of 2007, more than enough for three of the monthly distributions. Each food parcel contains 10 kilograms of rice, one kilogram of red lentils, one kilogram of chick peas, one kilogram of kidney beans, 3 litres of sunflower oil, one kilogram of Turkish coffee, one kilogram of tea, and 5 kilograms of sugar.

"Without the food parcel, survival would be difficult," says Nedal Awiwi, "it provides the basics to help get us through the month." Nedal lives with his wife, five daughters and two sons in the old city of Hebron.

He runs one of the very few shops left in the old city but because of the restrictions on movement imposed by the Israeli Defence Force in the area, there are few customers and his income is minimal.

"When we arrived here 14 years ago, the city was full of life and the market was so busy we could hardly move through the narrow streets," he says. "Now the situation is worse than ever and we have little hope that it will improve."

His house is next to an Israeli settlement in the old city. At first, there were few problems, but particularly since the beginning of the second Intifada, severe restrictions on movement, settler violence and a heavy military presence have caused a drastic decline in the economy and the day-to-day life of Palestinians living in the old city.

The food parcels are distributed through shop owners in the old city of Hebron who receive a small amount of money to cover their extra costs.

For further information, please contact:
Bernard Barrett, ICRC Jerusalem, tel. +972 526019150
Bana Sayeh, ICRC Jerusalem, tel. +972 526019148