Now, when that need is greatest, the hospital itself has become a scene of tragedy and death.
Bombing raises stakes for Biden visit
The hospital bombing came on the eve of President Joe Biden’s high-stakes trip to Israel on Wednesday.
As both Israel and Hamas contended that their adversary was to blame for the hospital bombing, Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, expressed hope that President Biden’s visit would pave the way for his agency to transport emergency relief supplies to Gaza. The hope, said Callahan, is that the president can broker a deal to create a “humanitarian corridor” to bring vital emergency supplies — including “fuel for hospital generators, water, food and medicines” and “human assistance” — into Gaza.
“The supplies are desperately needed,” said Callahan, but CRS and other international aid groups have not been able to transport them into Gaza.
At present, many aid groups have warned of a “humanitarian catastrophe.” Local hospitals are overwhelmed by the thousands of civilians who have sought shelter, even as the injured wait for days to receive emergency care.
“A humanitarian corridor would also make it possible for Gaza civilians to depart the area and find safety before Israel launches its ground war and the conflict rapidly escalates,” he said.
“The death toll from the hospital bombing,” he said, injects even more urgency into efforts to “suspend the bombing and let civilians get to a safe place.”
National Catholic Register Senior Editor Joan Frawley Desmond contributed to this story.
Daniel Payne is a senior editor at Catholic News Agency. He previously worked at the College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.
