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UNRWA USA GAZA5k California for the children of GAZA
Nick Locke, 19-year-old, from University California San Diego, and member of Students for Global health, first place, at the moment to enter the finishing line at the Gaza5k Orange County/LA walk/run, at Mile Square Park on October 24, 2015 donation drive for Mental Health Programs in Gaza, Palestine, sponsored by UNRAWA USA, with the participation of the Community of Palestinian at Fountain Valley, Calif photo/Marivel Guzman
Laith N Hassan one of the youngest sponsors at the Gaza5k Orange County/LA Race, at Mile Square Park on October 24, 2015, donation drive for Mental Health Programs in Gaza, Palestine, sponsored by UNRAWA USA, with the participation of the Community of Palestinian supporters at Fountain Valley, Calif photo/Marivel Guzman
Today the community of Orange, San Diego, Riverside and Los Angeles counties areas came together once again to show solidarity with Palestine specially the children of the besieged Gaza Strip. Palestinian supporters and runners enthusiasts gathered today at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, Calif to participate and raise funds in the annual GAZA5K event sponsored by United National Relief Works Agency USA to raise funds for the children of Gaza.
The Gaza5K is an annual walk/run hosted by United National Relief Works Agency USA. This event raises funds for UNRWA’s Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) to support thousands of refugee children in Gaza affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other psychological trauma.
According to Save the Children in one area, al-Shoka, nearly half the children interviewed wet the bed every night. Up to 89% of parents reported that their children suffer consistent feelings of fear, while more than 70% of children said they worried about another war. On average seven out of 10 children interviewed suffer regular nightmares.
“Save the Children CEO Justin Forsyth said in a statement that, ‘Many children in Gaza have now lived through three wars in the past seven years, the last one notable for its brutality. They are emotionally and, in some cases, physically shattered.” Save the Children
During last year’s 51-day war, 551 children in Gaza were killed and 3,436 were injured, while an estimated 1,500 lost their parents. Many more were made homeless and saw their schools damaged or destroyed. In Israel, one child was also killed by rocket fire and 270 were injured.
UNRWA USA is an independent nonprofit organization that supports the humanitarian and human development work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) through fundraising, advocacy, and outreach. UNRWA USA aims to educate the general American public about the situation of Palestine refugees and generate support for UNRWA’s work in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
Approximately 500 people between participants, volunteers and Palestinian supporters showed up to the event. According to Laila Mokhiber coordinator of UNRWA USA the $ 75,000 goal was meet. Business sponsors and Team sponsors collected most of the money. T-shirts bearing the logo of sponsors were distributed between participants of the race and supporters.
The event was well advertised in Facebook and other social media platforms expecting to attract some media to cover the event, but as always they stay silence, except for Don Kim, a photojournalist from Korea News Agency that came to cover the race.
Don Kim, photojournalist from Korean News Agency and Rima Nashashibi Advisory Board for UNRWA USA at the Gaza5k Orange County/LA walk/run, at Mile Square Park on October 24, 2015 donation drive for Mental Health Programs in Gaza, Palestine, sponsored by UNRAWA USA, with the participation of the Community of Palestinian supporters, at Fountain Valley, Calif photo/Marivel Guzman
Don Kim, photojournalist for Korean News Agency said that he picked the event at his agency website. Kim said that he has been covering Palestine for some time now, and has visited Gaza, Jerusalem and West Ban. He supports Palestine.
The following teams were present: Kinder USA, Students for Justice for Palestine from University California, Riverside, Students for Global Health, Palestine Youth Movement, OC Halal Food Fest, Alliso Viejo Moms for Gaza Team, Laith N Hasan Sponsor Team, Loay Elbasyouni sponsor team, Palestinian American of Women Association (PAWA).
Amir Hammad portrays a Palestinian flag on his face.
Amir Hammad-Guzman-Torres,3-year-old Palestinian, at the Gaza5k Orange County/LA Race, at Mile Square Park on October 24, 2015, donation drive for Mental Health Programs in Gaza, Palestine, sponsored by UNRAWA USA, with the participation of the Community of Palestinian supporters at Fountain Valley, Calif photo/Marivel Guzman
The Musa Family came specially from Florida to attend the event
Musa Family came from Florida to support Gaza’s children at the Gaza5k Orange County/LA Race, at Mile Square Park on October 24, 2015, donation drive for Mental Health Programs in Gaza, Palestine, sponsored by UNRAWA USA, with the participation of the Community of Palestinian supporters at Fountain Valley, Calif photo/Marivel Guzman
Business sponsors:
GAZA5K California sponsors at the Gaza5k Orange County/LA walk/run, at Mile Square Park on October 24, 2015, donation drive for Mental Health Programs in Gaza, Palestine, sponsored by UNRAWA USA, with the participation of Palestinian supporters community, at at Fountain Valley, Calif photo/Marivel Guzman
California communities send their condolences to the families in Palestine that have lost dear ones during the the recent events.
Where to run, where to hide; UNRWA school used for shelter shell by Israel kills 15
The civilian population in Gaza has been forced to seek refugee in hospitals, mosques, and United Nations Relief and Works Agency schools, which have been targeted by Israel tanks in the last three days, says the agency.
Israel is sending text messages to household mobile numbers ordering to evacuate their homes, before the people have a chance to leave their homes the missiles kill them, thousands have managed to get out at time but almost 800 have not been very lucky.
The Gaza health ministry has confirmed the deaths of 779 Palestinians so far in the besieged strip since Israel began its relentless assault on July 8. Among those killed, at least 172 were aged 18 or younger.
The latest massacre was in an Israeli bombing of an UNRWA school in Beit Hanoun.
Forty-four families have been massacred in Gaza in the past 16 days, according to ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra.
UNRWA strongly condemns shelling of a school in Gaza sheltering civilians and calls for an investigation.
UNRWA condemns in the strongest possible terms the shelling of one of its schools in the central area of Gaza which was sheltering hundreds of Palestinians displaced by the current fighting. At approximately 1655 hours yesterday, UNRWA’s Maghazi Preparatory Girls School, in the Maghazi refugee camp, where approximately 300 internally displaced people had sought refuge was struck by explosive ordnance believed to have been fired by Israeli forces. , July 22, 2014
100,000 displaced were the last number published in their web side, in one of their twitts, it read ‘There is literally no place safe for civilians’, said UN OCHA Spokesperson, Jens Laerke
There is literally no safe place for civilians in Gaza, says, iUNRWA’s twitter
At approximately 7 a:m this morning I received a message from a friend from Gaza, Prof Said Abdelwahed with the news of the destruction of a building of four floors in his neighborhood, he said, that two hours ago, that in his neighborhood, Israeli drones and F16 demolished a 4 story building.
” Casualties rise up dramatically, he said.
Its mid-day and 52 have already been reported killed, 24 July 2014. Thousands of displaced Palestinians stay at UNRWA schools. One school in north of Gaza in Beit Hanoun village has been targeted minutes ago, Abdelwahed said. First reports mentioned 10 people killed. Reports mentioned that 4 artillery rockets have fallen in the yard of UNRWA school killing 10 and injuring around 150 people. This is beyond the capacity of the ambulances available and the small hospital in the area, he said.
The last twitter from UNRWA read six hours ago, the number of victims conflicts with the news coming from Gaza,
Rosa Schiano, an Italian journalist and activist is being reporting every minute from Gaza since the Israel assault started 18 days ago, said in her twitter, “16 killed, More than 80 injured in the recent targeting of UNRWA school in Beit Hanoun.
She also twitts a message from Gaza witness.
“”By God, there was not a single fighter, not a single shot was fired from the school. Why did they shoot at the school? – #Gaza witness”
“Update MOH: A 17 year old boy, Doaa Raed Abu Odeh, who died from injuries sustained in the bombing of the UNRWA school” latest update
Gaza is a open prison and for the last 18 days an open cemetery, many of the neighborhood that had been flatten by the IDF is being closed for ambulances, the bodies are under the rubble and the injure left to die on their destroyed homes.
“You obliterate … whole families, and then you come and say this is self-defense?” Hanan Ashwari on last Sunday in a live interview with ABC,
Hight Alert in Israel Kings in Gaza Matters
Posted on November, 04, 2012 by Akashma Online News
Head of States visiting Gaza means only one thing; The Blockade is Off.
After the pompous Royal visitors leave Gaza, Israel renewed its attacks on the coastal enclave. The joy lasted for 2 weeks. The Gazan residents and the world were expecting that these visits will be the beginning of the end of the Gaza blockade.
After the visit of Qatar Royalty with 400 millions to invest in Gaza, another Royal delegation followed with more money. Bahrain lesser entourage but not less important came and brought their EID gift for the besieged Gaza.
Israel is not receiving these shows of acceptance of Hamas too well, after all, in 2006 after Hamas won the election against the official Israeli choice Fatah Israel yelled “Terrorist” and half of the Western World put Hamas in the terrorist list. Which in reality it is US/Israel list. The rest of the world do not believe that the little government of Gaza has the means or the technology to play war with Israel.
“This visit has great political significance,” said Hamas government spokesman Taher al-Nunu. He is the first Arab leader to break the political siege.” The investment project seeks to build 1,000 homes for poor families in the devastated Khan Younis area in the south of the Strip.
Khan Younis refugee camp is located about two kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, north of Rafah. It lies west of the town of Khan Younis, a major commercial centre and stop-off point on the ancient trade route to Egypt. Khan Younis Refugee Camp
Laying the foundation stone of the project, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh thanked the emir “for his brave decision to visit Gaza”. “The visit of the emir announces officially the breaching of the political and economical siege imposed on Gaza for more than five years,” said Haniyeh.
The hopes still linger in the minds of Palestinians politicians and the people of the besieged Gaza, after all this is the first time a Head of State brakes Israel siege. Meaning only one thing; the Qatari King does not recognize the siege, and coming to Gaza was a show of just that. Israel could not dare to fire a single fireworks with the Royals in Gaza. Why would Israel will shot her own foot if the money of the kings indirectly benefit Israel one way or another. The oil rich State it is a staunch ally of US, and headquarter of Aljazeera the News Outlet that controls the Media in the Arab World.
The king of Qatar with Hamas Prime Minister
Photo Credit Hatem Moussa AP
Fatah in West Bank and Israel are the side liners spectators of these New Royal diplomatic ties that Hamas had gained.
The Arab Spring that swept the Middle East last year taking Mubarak Egypt in its winds of revolution, brought Muslim muscle to the game in Egypt. Saudi Arabia long time financier of the Muslim Brotherhood has a stronghold in Egypt with the new government, too close to Israel’s borders . Hamas is the pet project of Saudi Arabia which also control Egypt now.
This could be the reason the King himself came to Gaza under the covers of 400 millions in Aid to reassured Israel that business as usual will run the region? It is hard to say.
We all wonder what is going on, Qatar is the closest military ally of the US in the Middle East. Qatar has close military ties with the United States, and is the location of U.S. Central Command Headquarters and of Middle East Navy and Air Operations Center.
The base was also the source of the cluster bombs Israel dropped on Southern Lebanon in 2006 and of the white phosphorous bombs Israel used to bomb Gaza Strip in 2008/2009. It was reported that these shipments were supervised by the Emir Sheikh Hamad personally. Similar to all the Arab dictators, subservient to the American military protection and political support, Qatar was instructed to normalize relationship with Israel. This started with opening Israeli trade offices in Doha, then upgraded to mutual official visitations and meetings to establish trade agreements especially supplying Israel with cheap Qatari gas. MWC Media with conscience
If Israel is the closest friend of the US placed in the heart of the Middle East, and Hamas is the only enemy of the Jews State, why will the best military friend of US, which is the best friend of Israel will brake the blockade imposed by Israel in Gaza?
We can not discount also that Qatar is the richest state in the region and Gaza shores is found to hold $4 billion in gas reserves. Why not come and explore the possibilities to share the discovery with Palestinians.
It is premature to say what is the advantages in the long run for Gaza, but for sure the 400 millions and the promise to bring fuel are needed badly in Gaza after 6 years of Israel blockade.
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Akashma Online News 