BURLINGTON, ON, May 16, 2024
/CNW/ - Islamic Relief Canada is devastated to announce the killing
of Canadian-sponsored Gaza orphans
and is appalled by the lack of urgency displayed by the Canadian
Government in addressing the catastrophic situation unfolding on
the ground.
Islamic Relief Canada is devastated to
announce the killing of Canadian-sponsored Gaza orphans.
The first list of names of the Gazan orphans who have been
killed in Israel's assault over
the past few months has just been received by our teams, with the
youngest being only three and a half years old. This list is the
first of many we expect to receive in the coming weeks and
months.
Islamic Relief's orphan sponsorship program allows Canadians to
sponsor children in countries where they have lost their caretakers
due to conflict and/or natural disasters. Donations to the charity
for the orphan sponsorship program provide children with food,
water, shelter, education, and other necessities.
Usama Khan, Islamic Relief's CEO
says:
"Since October 7th, our teams on
the ground in Gaza have been
coming to us with names of children every day, asking us to find
sponsors for them to provide shelter, food, and other basic needs.
The need for supporting children in Gaza has surged in the past few months. It is
expected to worsen as Israel
continues its offensive in Rafah - where millions were forced into
and were promised as being a verified safe zone."
Ahmed* from Alberta has
sponsored Anwar*in Gaza since
2017.
"Anwar lost his dad in 2014 and I've been sponsoring and
befriending him for the past couple of years. Anwar was in high
school. Last week, I found out that he was killed due to the
Israeli attack on Gaza. I am still
trying to cope with the news. Anwar had so much life ahead of him.
He did not deserve this. I believe our government should be doing
much more. We cannot be complicit in the killing of innocent
children. We must take decisive and urgent action now. We owe it to
Anwar and all the unknown children whose lives have been unjustly
taken."
Maha* from Ontario had been
sponsoring teenager Saleem* for four years in Gaza:
"The past few months, seeing all the death and destruction
taking place in Gaza with little
movement from world leaders has been heartbreaking and frustrating.
But the day I got the call that Saleem the teenager I was
sponsoring in Gaza has become the
latest victim of the ongoing assult by Israel on Gaza, my heart shattered. I am currently
pregnant and hearing this was even more emotional for me. No child
deserves this - no person deserves this - we need action now to
stop this senseless killing."
Nour*, an orphan living through the Israeli assault on
Gaza:
"War isn't just bombs and explosions. It's also the sadness on
our faces and the despair that fills our hearts. Every night, we go
to sleep wondering if we'll wake up the next morning."
Islamic Relief Canada continues to call for an immediate
ceasefire and for the Canadian government to halt the transfer of
weapons and immediately suspend all arms export permits to
Israel. All children deserve basic
human rights – food, water, shelter, and safety.
Notes to Editors
- * Names have been changed
- To coordinate interviews, please contact
media@islamicrelief.ca or Mashaal Saeed, Media and
Campaigns Lead, at mashaal.saeed@islamicreliefcanada.org or
647-919-1580.
- Islamic Relief Canada is a registered charity in Canada that works in more than 40 countries to
provide humanitarian relief and build resilient, prosperous
communities. Visit www.islamicreliefcanada.org for more
information.
SOURCE Islamic Relief Canada