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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.
more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, tens of thousands of children are orphaned, and tens of thousands of wounded survivors are now trying to cope with life-changing disabilities such as loss of limbs.
Around 2 million people have been forced from their homes and most Palestinians are now forcibly displaced inside the so-called “yellow line”, where conditions are desperately overcrowded. Now winter is exacerbating the suffering – heavy rains have flooded or washed away thousands of tents and many families are spending freezing nights sleeping amidst the rubble of their old homes.
By tightening its blockade, Israel has caused severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel, crippling every sector in Gaza, from healthcare to sewage.
Starvation has become a weapon of war, with Gaza on the brink of famine – 1 in 10 children are acutely malnourished, and people are starving to death.
The attacks have destroyed or severely damaged almost 70% of residential buildings, attacked hospitals and schools, and left areas littered with unexploded ordnance. Some 80% of commercial facilities have been destroyed, along with 68% of road networks.
Islamic Relief staff and partners in Gaza have witnessed unimaginable death and destruction that has left cities, towns and villages in ruins.
Our colleagues, many of whom are facing the same challenges as the communities they serve, continue their vital humanitarian work wherever and whenever they can.
Despite the enormous challenges, your donations are saving lives. Islamic Relief has been on the ground finding ways to deliver aid throughout this crisis. Our local staff and partners are themselves displaced, grieving and exhausted, but are working tirelessly to provide lifesaving aid every day – helping thousands of desperate families and orphaned children.
Over the past month we have provided aid including vital food for almost 20,000 people; winter items such as warm clothes and blankets for 7,600 children; hygiene kitsfor 5,539 people; education and psychosocial support for more than 100 children; ongoing maternal healthcare for pregnant women; and over 1.6 million litres of drinking water (more than 53,000 litres a day), helping tens of thousands of people.
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.
Islamic Relief teams distribute hot ready-to-eat meals to vulnerable families.
Image: Islamic Relief staff distributing essential hygiene items.
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.
The situation is extremely terrifying. I am writing these words and my house is shaking back and forth due to the intense bombing…As an adult who have lived tens of escalation in the last years, I feel terrified. I feel this time we might not be able to survive…The airstrikes are destroying everything. I can’t imagine Gaza after this ends and we survive. I can’t think of the destruction that we will see.
an Islamic Relief aid worker in Gaza
Image: Clean water distributions.
2,274,000 medical items have been distributed
Islamic Relief began working in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 1997, providing life-saving emergency aid and crucial nutritional, educational and psychosocial support to families in the region.
Our teams are providing emergency medical assistance, bedding, food vouchers and other essential aid to displaced families and those most in need.
Islamic Relief is calling for international aid to support rebuilding damaged infrastructure, strengthening health and electricity networks and providing psychosocial support.
Islamic Relief strongly condemns all violence against civilians – including the most recent loss of lives. All Palestinians and Israelis, regardless of religion or ethnicity, have the right to live in safety and dignity, and to have their fundamental human rights upheld. We are calling for an immediate end to the escalating violence as any further escalation will inevitably increase civilian casualties. Islamic Relief calls on world leaders to step up efforts to prevent any further escalation of violence, but also to demand an end to the occupation and work towards a just and lasting peace agreement.
Image: We have been providing vital psychological support to children and orphans in Gaza.
Image: Families purchasing food at a supermarket in Gaza using food vouchers provided by Islamic Relief
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