The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Trump administration and the international community to demand that the Israeli government immediately allow heavy excavation equipment, fuel, and temporary shelter supplies into Gaza as rescuers struggle to save Palestinians trapped in a collapsed building.
CAIR’s call follows reports that a five-story building displaced families in Gaza City collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people – including 11 children – and leaving dozens trapped under the rubble. Rescue workers in Gaza have reportedly been forced to search through heavy concrete with bare hands and hand tools due to a critical shortage of heavy machinery. The building was previously bombed by Israeli occupation forces.
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“Families are trapped underneath the rubble of this collapsed building, and the Israeli government is blocking entry of the excavation equipment needed to rescue them. Our nation and all nations of the world must demand that Israeli let this equipment into Gaza before the remaining men, women and children trapped in this building perish.
“This man-made disaster Gaza illustrates the human cost of Israel’s refusal to admit essential aid, reconstruction tools, and emergency shelters. Families forced to seek refuge in bombed buildings because of Israel’s genocide are paying with their lives because basic rescue equipment and safe emergency shelters are intentionally blocked.
“We demand the immediate opening of entry points for bulldozers, cranes, fuel, tents, and temporary housing supplies. Our government must press for these humanitarian necessity items to enter Gaza before more innocent lives are lost under preventable conditions.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]