UK charity raises £1m for Palestinians injured by Israel in Gaza

A UK medical charity has raised more than £1 million in a Facebook fundraising campaign in the aftermath of Israeli forces’ massacre of Palestinian demonstrators in the occupied Gaza Strip.

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has been responding “to a large number of casualties in Gaza”, the fundraiser states, adding that “hospitals there have been overwhelmed by those injured during recent protests”.

Supplies of many medical items and medicines are desperately low – and others have run out completely

MAP says. The charity appealed for funds for “trauma supplies, essential supplies for surgery, disposables for Gaza’s Central Blood Bank, limb reconstruction equipment.”

The Facebook fundraiser, which began on 15 May, reached £1 million in just a few days.

The campaign began a day after Israeli forces killed some 60 Palestinian protesters in the occupied Gaza Strip, in the context of Great March of Return protests.

Read: Israel denies West Bank medical team entry to Gaza

As noted by MAP, Israeli forces’ use of violence also targeted medical workers; “paramedic Musa Abuhassanin was fatally shot in the chest and 18 health personnel were injured, including Canadian-Palestinian doctor Tarek Loubani who was shot in both legs.”

In addition, “seven ambulances were damaged after they were targeted with tear gas canisters”.

MAP “works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees.”