Can a new 'rescue council' save Gaza?
A new national council has formed in Gaza with the goal of offering services that the Palestinian consensus government appears unable or unwilling to provide.
GAZA CITY — Amid the worsening economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza, political and professional figures announced the establishment of a council on Feb. 1 to rescue Gaza from the financial and other crises affecting every sector. Ibrahim Habib, who spearheaded the idea, explained to Al-Monitor that the rescue council is not a political party but is envisioned as a service organization. Its oversight committee consists of 11 members, most of them professionals from a broad range of backgrounds.
“The council’s mission is rescue,” Habib said. “It is not intended to resolve the problems the Gaza Strip has developed over the years. The rescue is limited to facilitating services in Gaza and communicating with local, regional and international authorities, including Israel, to hold them accountable for the situation in the Gaza Strip, which is still under Israeli control and is no longer habitable. The services the council would seek to provide cover all aspects of daily life in the Gaza Strip, including health, education, environment and economy.”
