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Struggling civilians once more face the horror of major airstrikes, with a rapidly rising death toll and hundreds of thousands of people displaced with nowhere safe to go, worsening the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Islamic Relief is appalled by recent reports of deaths and violence, and continues to strongly condemn any and all violence against civilians. We plead with all parties to exercise restraint to avoid further civilian casualties.
At least 31,726 Palestinians have been killed and more than 73,792 injured. This number is expected to increase rapidly as airstrikes continue. Nearly 50% of deaths are children.
In the Westbank, over 330 have been killed and at least 2,750 injured.
In the Gaza Strip, the strikes are thought to have destroyed tens of thousands of homes, and 4 in 5 people have had to flee their homes. As many are forced to seek shelter in dozens of schools and hospitals, they urgently need food and other basic survival items.
There are also serious health concerns due to poor sanitation and overcrowding. Outbreaks of Hepatitis A have been reported, which is highly contagious and is just one of the growing risks of diseases that civilians in Gaza are exposed to.
To make matters worse, the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, due to widespread destruction and damage of hospitals. Medical facilities which are in operation are extremely inadequate and overcrowded- with reports of centres holding three times as many patients as their capacities.
As conditions rapidly deteriorate amid this latest escalation in hostilities, Islamic Relief remains steadfast in our determination to assist Palestinian families. Working closely with our local partners, we are preparing our humanitarian response, which is likely to initially focus on distributing medical supplies and survival items.
We have been providing humanitarian relief in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1997, serving as a lifeline for communities struggling with the devastating effects of occupation, blockade and recurring conflict. As Palestinian families face fresh suffering in Gaza, Islamic Relief is calling on supporters to help us provide much-needed humanitarian aid.
With your support, Islamic Relief will remain a lifeline for Palestinian families. Please give generously to our Palestine Emergency Appeal now.
(updated 20th March 2024)
medical items have been distributed
food parcels
people have received food vouchers
people have received fresh vegetable packages
ready-to-eat meals
people have received clean water
people have received hygiene kits
orphan sponsorship
children have received psychosocial support
*** The situation is changing constantly. This is up to date as of 11th October
Current situation
Islamic Relief is planning to distribute aid such as medical supplies for hospitals and food for vulnerable displaced families as soon as it is possible. (Cash Voucher Assistance was explored early on but the supply chain was not conducive to this.)
However, although we have some limited supplies ready in place, we have not yet been able to distribute them due to the extremely heavy and indiscriminate bombing across Gaza and the high danger to our staff, partners and the communities. We are constantly reviewing this and will begin distributions once it is safe to do so.
Procuring further supplies is currently very difficult due to the tightened blockade on Gaza, and we continue to call for a humanitarian corridor to be put in place so that aid can be delivered safely.
As the bombing intensifies, civilians in Gaza are trapped. As Gaza is under blockade they cannot leave the territory and have nowhere safe to escape to. Some displaced people are staying with relatives in parts of Gaza that have so far suffered less bombing. Many families are sheltering in UNRWA-run schools but some of these have also been bombed and conditions in the schools are extremely basic. The reality is that people are having to move location regularly.
The main priorities include medical equipment, food and fuel. Hospitals are completely overwhelmed with casualties and need urgent support, and the ‘total siege’ means that current food supplies will soon run low – affecting the poorest and most vulnerable people most of all. Fuel is urgently needed to keep generators going for vital healthcare and water/sanitation systems, as the electricity supply has also been significantly reduced to just 4 hours a day. As the electricity shortages get worse and more people become displaced, clean water and sanitation are also likely to be huge urgent needs.
At the moment Israel has announced a “total siege” on Gaza, preventing any food, medicine, fuel or other vital supplies from entering. The limited supplies we have in place for distribution are supplies that were already within Gaza and put in place through our Disaster Preparedness Plan. We continue to call for a humanitarian corridor to be put in place so that more aid can be delivered safely into Gaza.