We reproduce this message from the Director of the Sanctuary Foundation requesting accommodation needs for women and children from Gaza.
Dear friends
An unparalleled humanitarian disaster is unfolding in the Middle East in the wake of the terrible murders and kidnappings in Israel and the bombardment and blockade of Gaza.
Currently there are no routes for civilians to leave Gaza, even temporarily. Over a million displaced people are sheltering and seeking refuge, although they are still not safe as the blockade has made access to clean water, food, medical supplies very difficult. Over half of these displaced people are women and children.
A coordinated global refugee response is needed, with the most urgent intervention being to offer children and their mothers temporary sanctuary in safe countries.
G8 has the opportunity to lead the way. We are calling on the UK Government to offer sanctuary initially to 1000 displaced children and mothers.
“The need for the government to respond with compassion could not be more urgent. My father arrived in this country on the Kindertransport as a child refugee, we call on the government to respond with the same compassion Britain showed Jewish children fleeing for their lives in 1939 to those fleeing Gaza now. There are families willing to house children and mothers, the government needs to act without delay.”
[Jennifer Nadel, Compassion in Politics, whose Jewish father came to the UK as a child on the Kindertransport from Vienna]
Sanctuary Foundation is collecting pledges of households who would be willing to welcome these children and mothers into their homes for 3-6 months, should a safe route be provided.
Having inspired thousands of people to host Ukrainian refugees we know that these pledges can have persuasive power and impact the government’s response to refugees. They can save lives. They can lead to transformative experiences for hosts as well as guests. They can also prompt other nations to create similar routes for refugees.
If you would be willing to host mothers and their children who want to leave Gaza and find temporary sanctuary in the UK we ask you make a pledge here by filling out our form.
Our nation has shown incredible hospitality in recent years to Ukrainians, Afghans, Hong Kongers as well as previously to Jewish children fleeing genocide at the hands of the Nazis.
It is now critical that we show welcome to children and mothers from Gaza, using the Homes for Ukraine infrastructure, and the example of the evacuation programme during the Second World War, where the children of our cities were offered temporary protection in safe communities around the UK.
Thank you
Krish
Director
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