Author: Nadya Labiba

Time is running out to protect civilians in the Darfur city of El Fasher, where there are horrific reports of mass killings and suffering as fighting has intensified over the past few days.  

The humanitarian situation in the city is now catastrophic, as civilians have endured an 18-month siege that has cut off all aid. Homes, hospitals, schools and mosques have been repeatedly bombed. Many families in the city are now starving as supplies of food and medicine have run out, but humanitarian aid continues to be blocked. Local community kitchens and mutual aid groups have become the only lifeline for many families, but they are increasingly short of funds and face extreme risks.

Tens of thousands of people have reportedly managed to flee the city, but many escape routes have been cut off and up to 250,000 more people remain trapped there and scared for their lives.

Islamic Relief Worldwide is calling on the international community to increase pressure for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access into the city, and safe and dignified passage out of the city for all civilians who wish to leave.

As more people risk their lives to try and escape, Islamic Relief aid workers in central Darfur are preparing for an anticipated influx of families. In recent months Islamic Relief’s health and nutrition clinics in central Darfur have received hundreds of families who are on the verge of starvation after managing to escape El Fasher and its surrounding camps. Many arrived in a desperately malnourished state after walking for many days to try and reach some level of safety, and have reported horrifying accounts of bombing and looting along the route.

Shihab Mohamed Ali, Islamic Relief’s senior program manager, said:

“We expect significant numbers of displaced people fleeing El Fasher to arrive at our clinics in the coming days. El Fasher is a terrifying place for civilians right now. Some of our team members have relatives there but communication is down and they said they haven’t heard from them for the past three days. At the moment civilians do not have safe routes to escape the city, but the situation there is alarming so many people are trying to get out any way they can, whether in the middle of the night or by paying bribes they cannot afford. We are calling for civilians to be protected and for humanitarian aid to be allowed to reach people.”

In Central Darfur, Islamic Relief operates 12 nutrition centres, 10 primary healthcare centres and 2 mobile health clinics, which reach the most remote areas in the mountainous Jebal Marra region. Across Sudan, Islamic Relief has delivered aid to 1.2 million people since the war broke out in April 2023.

On 10 October, the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect. While aid organisations, including Islamic Relief, welcomed the news, much uncertainty remains, and the humanitarian situation is still catastrophic.

Here, we explain what the ceasefire involves and what it could mean for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

What is a ceasefire?

A ceasefire is an agreement to pause acts of violence by military and/or other armed forces and groups in a conflict. Ceasefires usually have a series of conditions attached and last for a sustained period of time.

Ceasefires can be a first step in de-escalating a conflict. They can be employed for humanitarian purposes, such as bringing more aid into a conflict zone or allowing civilians to escape to safety.

A ceasefire is not the same as an armistice, which is a formal agreement to permanently end all military operations in a conflict. Armistices do not establish peace, but rather end fighting so involved parties can commit to resolving their differences through negotiations.

How did the Gaza ceasefire happen?

The first phase of the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October at 12:00 local time (09:00 GMT), after Hamas agreed and the Israeli government voted to approve the US-brokered agreement.

The announcement is a significant step. But long overdue after around 68,000 people have been killed, Gaza has been bombed into rubble, and a man-made famine.

Islamic Relief and many other organisations have repeatedly called on the international community to demand a ceasefire. There has been huge and sustained public pressure, but little apparent progress. However, in recent weeks, mediators including the US, Qatar, and Türkiye had increased pressure on both sides.

What are the terms of the Gaza ceasefire?

The ceasefire is expected to follow several stages, with negotiations continuing throughout the first stage to agree key unresolved issues such as disarmament and who will govern Gaza after the ceasefire.  

The first stage is now underway, with Hamas releasing the 20 still-living hostages captured on 7 October and the bodies of other hostages, and Israel releasing almost 2,000 Palestinians from Israeli jails and also beginning to return the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians.

Israeli forces have also partially withdrawn from parts of Gaza. But they retain full control of more than half of the enclave. Israel has also said it will allow 600 trucks carrying aid and essential items to enter Gaza each day, and will allow displaced Palestinians to return through the Rafah crossing under EU-supervised coordination with Egypt.

The US has deployed 200 troops to Israel, which it says will oversee the ceasefire’s implementation. These troops will not enter Gaza itself.

Are there any barriers to the ceasefire’s success?

Yes. Relations between the two sides are incredibly strained, and any violations from either side risk completely derailing negotiations.

Israel’s blockade remains in place, which means it retains full control over what comes in and out of Gaza. On 14 October, Israel announced it would cut the number of aid trucks allowed in to just 300 per day and shut the Rafah crossing once more. It reportedly reversed this decision the following day, but this illustrates the fragility of the agreement and the level of control that Israel continues to have over humanitarian access.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic, and aid delivery to starving people must not be a bargaining chip for negotiations that can be withdrawn at any moment.

Over the past 24 hours, there have also been reports of several Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces. While many other sticking points will need to be ironed out to see future stages of the ceasefire implemented successfully. For example, questions remain over whether Hamas will disarm and who should govern Gaza after the ceasefire.

The ceasefire agreement does not apply to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where we have seen an increase in Israeli attacks and human rights violations over the past two years. A further escalation there could also jeopardise the deal.

Despite the challenges, both sides have already made compromises to agree to the current ceasefire, and international pressure for an end to the conflict is likely to remain intense during this first stage.

What happened to the last ceasefire in early 2025?

The previous ceasefire agreement, announced in January 2025, initially brought some respite for people and allowed aid agencies, including Islamic Relief, to scale up our work. However, it quickly broke down. Within weeks, Israel resumed and intensified its bombing and enforced a total siege of Gaza, shutting off all aid and commercial supplies. Israel also escalated its attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the ceasefire period. This must not be allowed to happen again this time.

What’s happening in Gaza right now?

Since the ceasefire was announced, over 332,000 people are thought to have moved to other parts of the Gaza Strip. Many return to find their homes reduced to rubble. While some are recovering what belongings they can and returning to shelters, others are setting up tents on the sites of their former homes. Some family members have been able to reunite after months of sheltering separately.

Is more humanitarian aid entering Gaza?

The ceasefire commits to a target of 600 trucks a day. This is similar to the number reaching Gaza before the current crisis. However, in recent months, the influx of aid has been practically non-existent, meaning 600 trucks a day will be a small drop in an ocean of need.

So far, we are seeing a small but significant increase in the amount of aid getting in. But it is still just a fraction of what has been agreed.

Restrictions on the types of goods that can enter Gaza remain in place and are likely to impact the delivery of some desperately needed items. Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since 2007, which restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of the Strip.

This has huge implications for humanitarian efforts. For example, thousands of essential items are restricted from entering Gaza because Israel considers them to have a ‘dual use’. This means it can be used for both civilian and military purposes. Things like fuel, water filters, solar pumps and surgical scissors have been refused entry on these grounds.

The United Nations Secretary-General has committed to scaling up humanitarian relief in Gaza. They urge the unimpeded entry of aid and essential commercial materials.

Will Islamic Relief deliver more aid to Gaza?

Islamic Relief is ready to massively scale up our current lifesaving aid and help reconstruction efforts as soon as restrictions on humanitarian access are lifted. We hope the ceasefire agreement will enable us and other aid agencies to get aid to Palestinian families in dire need.

We note that previous promises to allow more aid into Gaza have been immediately broken and urge that all restrictions on humanitarian access be lifted. The international community must hold Israel to account if aid continues to be blocked.

As of October 2025, all of Islamic Relief’s programming in Gaza has been made up of emergency projects.

Throughout the crisis, we have supported Palestinians in Gaza by delivering hot meals, food parcels, water, and hygiene kits. We also expanded our Orphan Sponsorship Program, and are addressing mental and physical healthcare needs wherever possible. This work will expand in the coming days and weeks.

What was the situation like before the ceasefire?

Prior to the ceasefire, Palestinian families trapped in Gaza suffered over 2 years of relentless bombardment. Pleas for a ceasefire went largely ignored. The Gaza Strip has been left in ruins. Around 68,000 people in Gaza have been killed, including around 20,000 children, and many more left with life-changing injuries.

Israeli bombs destroyed hospitals, schools and shelters, while families were forced to flee their homes time and time again. Famine has been declared in Gaza City, while starvation and malnutrition are rife throughout the Strip.

Amid so much suffering, the entry of aid and other essential items was severely restricted, hampering efforts to preserve life.

The ceasefire is not an immediate resolution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Rather, it is the first step towards enabling Palestinians to recover and, eventually, rebuild.

What else is needed to support vulnerable people in Gaza?

It is vital that this ceasefire agreement is fully and immediately implemented. 

This agreement must lead to a lasting peace, with justice and accountability for the horrors perpetrated against civilians. All people must be able to live in safety and dignity, and have their fundamental human rights upheld.

Islamic Relief believes this will not be possible until the root causes of the crisis are addressed. Not until there is an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Today’s news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a ceasefire deal is a significant but long-overdue step, after two years of relentless atrocities. In what a UN expert panel determined amounts to genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.  

But the big test will be what happens next.

There must be no more false dawns and broken promises. World leaders must now ensure there is a permanent end to Israel’s systematic attacks, displacement, and starvation of civilians. All restrictions on humanitarian access must be immediately lifted so that desperately needed aid can reach people in Gaza. Any agreement must not further entrench Israeli control over Gaza.  

There can be no sustainable peace without justice and accountability, an end to impunity, and respect for international law. We need security, rights, and dignity for all people, and this will only be possible when there is an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.  

The most urgent need right now is to get aid into Gaza. There is no time to waste, as children are starving to death every day in a man-made famine and homes, hospitals, schools, and other essential services are now rubble. Today’s announcement alone does not stop the famine. Islamic Relief is ready to massively scale up our current lifesaving aid and help reconstruction efforts as soon as restrictions on humanitarian access are lifted. 

The international community must ensure that new commitments are adhered to and hold parties accountable for any violations. A repeat of the last ceasefire – when Israel resumed its bombing and cut off all humanitarian aid after only a few weeks of respite – must not be tolerated. Israel must also not be allowed to use this opportunity to escalate its attacks and violations of the rights of Palestinians in the West Bank. The world must act now to safeguard this moment and pursue a credible pathway to lasting peace.

Islamic Relief is supporting families in Lebanon who have been affected by ongoing violence since 8 October 2023.

On 8 October 2023, Lebanon was drawn into devastating violence following a rapid escalation in Israeli attacks. The country faced relentless bombardment, with airstrikes destroying homes, displacing families, and leaving communities struggling to survive. More than 4,285 people have been killed, and over 7,000 injured.

Despite a ceasefire in November 2024, bombings have continued. More than 85,000 people remain displaced. They are seeking safety wherever they can, often in overcrowded schools, mosques, residing with relatives and unfinished buildings.

Families who were already unable to afford food, medicine, or rent now face an additional catastrophe. The combination of poverty, inflation, and conflict has pushed countless households to the brink of survival.

A daily battle for survival

In the Beqaa Valley, families who once managed to scrape by are now facing impossible choices. Children are leaving school to work, some as young as 10.

Fatima, a widow with 3 children, is trapped in a cycle of poverty and despair.

The family’s financial situation worsened after her husband’s death, with basic necessities such as food and heating often out of reach.

Winter is the hardest season for families like Fatima’s, with long nights and only thin blankets which offer meagre protection from the bitter cold

“My children go to school hungry, and I can’t even promise them a warm night’s sleep. I feel I’m failing them in everything – food, warmth, even their future. I don’t know how to face this winter,” Fatima shares, her voice shaky.

Islamic Relief’s response in Lebanon

Since the beginning of this escalation, Islamic Relief has been working tirelessly to deliver urgent humanitarian aid in some of the hardest-hit areas.

With the support of our donors, we have donated items such as blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets, mats and buckets to displaced people and returnees. These items help bring back some normalcy in their lives. We also support hospitals by providing medicine and medical supplies.

We have supported more than 500,000 people, but many more remain in urgent need of assistance.

A call for urgent action

Lebanon is in urgent need of infrastructural and rehabilitation support, along with the immediate needs of families who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and access to basic services.

“Despite 2 years passing since the conflict began, the scars of war remain painfully visible. The violence, combined with Lebanon’s deep economic crisis, means the population is now standing on the edge of a humanitarian disaster.

“Urgent support is desperately needed to help families meet their most basic needs and to restore a sense of dignity and hope,” says Akram Sadeq, Islamic Relief Lebanon’s Country Director.

With your generosity, we can continue to be a lifeline for families in desperate need, bringing food, shelter, medical care, and dignity to those who have lost everything.

Rama, 16, is an orphaned child waiting to be matched with a sponsor. Like so many children in Gaza, her world has completely changed since October 2023.

In September last year, Rama’s father and 4 of her siblings were killed when their home in Gaza City was bombed. Rama lost one of her legs and suffered third-degree burns in the attack.

“Tala was 17 years old, Ahmed was 15 years old, Abdul Kareem was 9 years old, and the youngest, Maraam, was two-and-a-half years old,” the children’s mother, Fadia, who also lost a leg in the blast, recalls.

The family is now just Fadia, Rama, 2 other daughters and 3 sons. The survivors have suffered psychological trauma and life-altering injuries.

“I was injured and came out from under the rubble,” Rama says, adding that the family had to stay in hospital for almost 2 weeks. “There was a lack of medication… it was very hard for us to get treatments, so our wounds took longer to heal. We had no food or drink, so we suffered a lot.”

For Fadia, who is struggling to get by with an ill-fitting prosthetic, meeting her children’s needs is extremely challenging. Rama’s burns require intensive dermatological treatment.

“My daughter needs to see a doctor almost weekly,” Fadia says. “Honestly, her condition is taking its toll. I go to bed crying for her and wake up crying for her.”

Fouad, Rama’s 12-year-old brother, was thrown onto the roof of a neighbour’s home by the force of the blast. Emergency surgery saved his leg from amputation, but he has problems with his spine and knee that require physiotherapy. Fouad helps his mother out by fetching water, but he can’t walk far or carry heavy loads. Like Rama, Fouad is waiting to be matched with a sponsor.

Now living in a tent without any source of income, the family are struggling to make ends meet, while grieving their loved ones and coping with their own injuries. The children miss school, and Fadia feels hopeless at times.

“The situation is very difficult, and I don’t know how to sort it out,” she says. “There are days when we can’t find food. Sometimes, we have only a cup of bitter tea to keep going. If good people give us food, we have something to eat, if no one gives us anything, we don’t eat. The situation is very difficult.”

Sponsorship won’t heal the family’s physical and emotional scars, but we can help ease their burden, providing money that they can use to buy food and seek much-needed medical care. As they struggle to keep surviving and piece their lives back together, Rama still dreams of her future. With your support, we can help her get there.

“Now I am struggling a lot with education. All my friends are carrying on with their studies, but in my current condition, I cannot go to the temporary education tents – the roads in Gaza are not suitable for my wheelchair.

“I don’t have a mobile and we have no internet. My academic level has dropped from before, I’m not able to maintain it. I used to memorise the Qur’an, and I learned many chapters. Now I’m unable to keep up with learning. I’m sad when I think about how I used to be and how I am now.

“My ambition was to become a translator and learn a lot of languages. Insha’Allah, we find a sponsor for me so I can work on myself and achieve my dreams.”

Islamic Relief is already a lifeline for more than 21,000 orphaned children in Gaza, but more than 7,000 children like Rama are in our system waiting to be matched with a sponsor.

Be a lifeline for Gaza’s orphans. Palestinian children need your help now.

October marks 2 years of Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza. That we’ve reached this grim milestone is testimony to the complicity of world leaders who have failed to stop the daily war crimes being carried out on Gaza.

More than 66,200 people have been killed – including some 20,000 children – and over 168,900 injured since the onslaught began.

Life in Gaza today is clouded by danger and uncertainty. Children are starving to death in a man-made famine and, each day, more civilians are massacred. The Israeli blockade traps families in a daily struggle to get food, medicine, shelter, water – everything they need to survive.

Uprooted repeatedly

Almost everyone in Gaza has been forced from their homes, often multiple times. 90% of families have been displaced an average of 6 times, while others have been forced to flee many more times – including Islamic Relief’s own staff.

The situation is getting even worse, with Israel intensifying its attack on Gaza City and ordering people to leave.

For some, leaving Gaza City is just not an option. Relocating is extremely expensive, and many say they have nowhere else to go. Others fear that if they leave, they’ll never be able to return. With famine declared in Gaza City and the surrounding areas, others are too sick or weak to survive another journey. Those who have left are being forced into increasingly overcrowded camps, where diseases and starvation are rife.

Hundreds of thousands of people are squeezed into tents along the beach, in the wreckage of bombed buildings and along the streets.

Perhaps no one is suffering more than Gaza’s children. Struggling to survive, they are also seeing their hopes for the future being snuffed out. Famine threatens the lives of over 132,000 children, and all children under 5 are at risk of severe malnourishment, which can lead to long-term health issues, even for those who manage to get treatment. An entire generation of children is now in their third year out of school, and we are seeing rising mental health issues due to the extreme suffering and grief.

Your impact, their resilience 

Israel’s illegal blockade continues to restrict humanitarian aid, but amid so much hardship, Islamic Relief continues to be a lifeline to people in desperate need in Gaza.

Thanks to your support, our staff and partners have been delivering life-saving aid. Most recently, we have delivered clean drinking water to more than 37,500 displaced people in shelters.

In addition, we have expanded our programs supporting new and expectant mothers and babies. We have carried out almost 400 medical check-ups for pregnant women and supported deliveries, including C-sections.

Over the last 2 years, we have constantly adapted our response in light of the highly fluid situation on the ground, striving to ensure that our staff, partners, and the communities we serve are not endangered. Our response has included:

• Distributing fresh fruit and vegetables to families living in temporary shelters
• Providing hot meals and hygiene kits to displaced people
• Distributing ready-to-eat meals, food packs and qurbani meat
• Providing psychosocial care to children experiencing trauma
• Trucking in clean drinking water
• Delivering medical supplies to hospitals and healthcare centres
• Setting up medical points and supporting these with medications and supplies
• Providing lipid-based nutritional supplements in partnership with the World Food Programme
• Cleaning shelters
• Providing multi-purpose cash assistance so families can buy what they need most
• Expanding our Orphan Sponsorship Programme to reach more than 21,000 children

Speaking up for Gaza

These efforts are helping to ease suffering, but the people of Gaza need more than aid.

Palestinians have shown incredible resilience, but there is a limit to what humans can endure. World leaders must finally act to demand a ceasefire and pressure Israel to fully reopen all land crossings so that sufficient supplies can arrive before it’s too late for those struggling for survival.

More paltry words of condemnation will not make any difference now. To save lives, governments must apply meaningful economic and diplomatic pressure, such as ending all arms sales, suspending trade agreements, and banning trade and investment with illegal Israeli settlements.

We continue to call for action. Help Islamic Relief to continue supporting people in desperate need in Gaza.

The ongoing crisis has deeply affected children in Gaza. For almost 2 years, they have faced displacement, loss, starvation and been forced to live through horrific violence.

For tens of thousands of children, these dire conditions are made even worse by the loss of their parents.

Noor is 17 years old and is one of the many children who have been robbed of a childhood, of an education and of her loved ones.

A good life in Gaza ruined by Israeli bombs

Noor lived with her family in Al-Shejaiea, one of the largest neighbourhoods in Gaza. The family lived a simple life, surrounded by farmland and trees, Noor’s two older sisters attended university, while she and her other siblings all attended school.

Every day at noon, the family would return home from their schools, universities and work, to gather around the table for lunch. 

Summaya, Noor’s mother, describes their life together:

“We were a close family before the war. We lived in a very nice house.

“We had a land, a farm, we used to grow vegetables. My husband used to grow tomatoes. Me and the kids used to help him every day. It provided for the children and the house expenses.”

When the bombs began to fall, Noor and her family fled while her father stayed behind to protect the house and his crops. He was killed by Israeli bombs a week later.

“He called me 3 days before his death,” Sumayya says.

“He checked on the children, his mother and me. SubhanAllah, coincidentally, it was like he was giving me his final words.

“‘Forgive me and look after the children.’”

After the death of her father, Noor and her family began an exhausting journey, moving from shelter to shelter as the bombs continued to fall around them. They fled south, moving from Rafah to Khan Younis, and then to the Middle governorate, all the while carrying a simple tent with them for shelter.

Children turned to orphans, forced to face nightmare conditions in Gaza Strip

The total death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 65,000. Tens of thousands of Palestinian children have been robbed of their parents.

Children like Noor have been forced to live through horrifying conditions, confronted with trauma no one should experience.

Noor and her siblings have been forced to live through famine, queuing at charity kitchens just to get a small portion of lentils or pasta, barely enough to prevent starvation.

The children are also missing out on education. There is a single mobile phone in the family, meaning they must take it in turns to complete their online lessons and exams. Poor internet connection and electricity outages only make the situation worse.

After months of displacement, moving from town to town, Noor experienced more trauma when her siblings, Nada and Mohamed, along with their cousins, went to collect wood and experienced a direct missile strike.

“Nada saw the rocket coming down on top of them,” Sumayya said.

“May Allah have mercy on their souls; they bought the 3 of them to me. We carried him [Mohamed] with our hands to the hospital.

Mohamed and some of his cousins were killed. Nada was left traumatised.

“I wanted my scream to reach the whole world.” Sumayya said.

Noor was once a child who loved to play and dreamed of the future, she was looking forward to attending university, but displacement, fear, and the loss of loved ones have completely changed her life.

“I would like to study and continue forward with my life,” Noor tells us.

“I would like to finish my secondary education so I can get to higher education. I would like for a lot of things to be available to me so I can carry on with my education and become a medical secretary.

“I would like for my life to be better than this.”

You can help orphans in Gaza like Noor

Their situation may feel hopeless, but, with your help, Islamic Relief can do more to help children like Noor.

For almost 3 decades, Islamic Relief has been supporting orphaned children in Gaza through one-to-one sponsorship. The Israeli blockade means that much aid is restricted, but our Orphan Sponsorship Program is now one of the few remaining ways to get real support into the hands of suffering Palestinian families.

Noor’s younger sister, Nada, is enrolled in our Orphan Sponsorship Program. The regular stipend gives their mother the means to buy food and other essentials for the family, when goods are available.

“I would like to thank Islamic Relief.” Noor says, “because they support our needs a lot. They provide us with everything. Thank you, Islamic Relief.”

Support orphaned Palestinian children

With many children in dire need as conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate, generous sponsors are eager to help more than one child in a family. Therefore, we now offer the option to sponsor multiple children within a family.

Gaza’s rising death tolls mean more children than ever are becoming orphans. Heartbreakingly, more than 7,300 orphaned children are now in our system, waiting to be matched with sponsors.

Find out more about how you can be a lifeline for Gaza’s orphans and act today. Palestinian children need your help now.

Timeline of Struggle & Sumud Brochure

• https://data.techforpalestine.org/docs/killed-in-gaza
• https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2017/5/23/the-nakba-did-not-start-or-end-in-1948
• https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2023/10/7/photos-israel-army-launches-air-attacks-on-gaza
• https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2023/10/8/intense-battles-as-israel-declares-state-of-war
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/9/israel-announces-total-blockade-on-gaza
• https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/gaza-unrwa-school-sheltering-displaced-families-hit
• https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/2023/10/28/the-take-with-communications-cut-off-gaza-goes-dark
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/31/dozens-killed-in-israeli-air-attack-on-gaza-refugee-camp-medical-official
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/3/several-killled-in-israeli-attack-on-ambulance-convoy-gaza-health-ministry
• https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/01/26/gaza-world-court-orders-israel-prevent-genocide
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/10/body-of-6-year-old-killed-in-deliberate-israeli-fire-found-after-12-days
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/29/dozens-killed-injured-by-israeli-fire-in-gaza-while-collecting-food-aid
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/israeli-army-opens-fire-inside-gazas-al-shifa-hospital-officials-say
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/24/icj-orders-israel-to-halt-its-offensive-on-rafah-gaza-in-new-ruling
• https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2024/5/6/israel-orders-rafah-evacuation-after-night-of-intense-bombardment
• https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/6/6/israel-attacks-un-run-school-in-central-gaza-killing-37
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/9/dozens-of-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-air-raid-on-gaza-encampment
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/13/at-least-50-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-al-mawasi-safe-zone-in-south-gaza
• https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/7/22/palestinians-forced-to-flee-after-latest-israeli-onslaught-in-khan-younis
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/27/israeli-attacks-kill-more-than-50-palestinians-across-gaza
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/10/israel-strike-on-gaza-school-kills-more-than-100
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/10/heinous-at-least-40-killed-in-israeli-attack-on-tent-camp-officials-say
• https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154206
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/21/several-killed-in-israeli-attack-on-gaza-school-sheltering-displaced-palestinians
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/17/israeli-strike-on-school-sheltering-displaced-families-in-jabalia-kills
• https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/11/30/715554/Humans-of-Gaza-Palestinian-child-Reem
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/13/palestinians-decry-barbaric-israel-strike-on-nuseirat-that-killed-dozens
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/15/israeli-forces-storm-gaza-school-sheltering-displaced-killing-at-least-15
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/16/israel-bombs-another-un-run-school-in-gaza-without-warning-killing-20
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/16/soul-of-my-soul-israeli-shelling-kills-gaza-grandfather-who-moved-world
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/23/israel-escalates-attacks-on-gaza-killing-civilians-in-two-camps-and-school
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/27/israeli-soldiers-burn-gazas-kamal-adwan-hospital-force-hundreds-to-leave
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/30/israels-ban-on-unrwa-comes-into-effect-despite-backlash
• https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-hamas-palestinians-aid-explainer-ecc0e70d5ff1120a04bf36626dfd96f4
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/18/israel-launches-gaza-assault-killing-hundreds-and-shattering-ceasefire
• https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161721
• https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-ceasefire-hostages-04-01-2025-0672fee1c04524fc1765d167fe8dcd7b
• https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-runs-out-food-stocks-gaza-border-crossings-remain-closed
• https://wck.org/news/gaza-update-5-7
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/18/children-among-over-100-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-barrage-across-gaza
• https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250521-aid-arrives-in-gaza-but-not-enough-amid-renewed-strikes-ceasefire-calls-gaza-strip-israel-un
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/28/heinous-crime-authorities-say-ten-aid-seekers-killed-in-gaza-in-forty-eight-hours
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/20/israel-issues-forced-displacement-order-in-central-gaza-in-new-campaign
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/8/israeli-security-cabinet-approves-plan-to-occupy-gaza-city-report
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/9/israeli-forces-kill-aid-seekers-as-gaza-starvation-death-toll-rises
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/10/al-jazeera-journalist-anas-al-sharif-killed-in-israeli-attack-in-gaza-city
  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/22/famine-confirmed-in-northern-gaza-global-hunger-monitor-says
• https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/israel-is-committing-genocide-in-gaza-worlds-leading-experts-declare/ds5xbb8ck
• https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds

Deliberate Targeting of Hospitals by Israel Infographic

• https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2023/10/anglican-run-al-ahli-arab-hospital-in-gaza-damaged-by-israeli-rocket-fire-as-conflict-continues.aspx
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67140250
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/29/israels-war-on-gaza-live-us-vows-to-respond-to-killing-of-troops?update=2657895
• https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-20/Middle-East/Al-Awda-Hospital-in-north-Gaza-under-siege-Israeli-sniper-kills-two-32884
• https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/5000-lives-one-shell-gazas-ivf-embryos-destroyed-by-israeli-strike-2024-04-17/
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/9/israels-war-on-gaza-live-fear-in-rafah-as-israel-prepares-ground-attack?update=2694315
• https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-15/israel-gaza-war-latest-updates-al-shifa-hamas-west-bank/103106412
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68705765
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/4/israels-war-on-gaza-live-us-says-yemen-strikes-send-message-to-houthis?update=2678346
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67474549
• https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/16/12/2023/live-updates-enough-is-enough-anger-after-israel-kills-al-jazeera-journalist
• https://www.npr.org/2025/08/25/nx-s1-5515630/israel-gaza-journalists-killed-hospital
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/5/14/live-israel-attacks-gaza-hospitals-as-trump-says-working-to-end-war-soon?update=3709326
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/26/israels-war-on-gaza-live-icj-to-rule-on-south-africas-genocide-case?update=2650524
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/31/israel-attacks-gazas-al-aqsa-hospital-striking-civilians-and-journalists
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/5/27/israels-war-on-gaza-live-news-35-killed-in-rafah-tent-bombings?update=2929820
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/26/israels-war-on-gaza-live-icj-to-rule-on-south-africas-genocide-case?update=2650372
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/12/1/israel-hamas-war-live-relief-and-joy-as-more-palestinian-prisoners-freed?update=2528387
• https://www.npr.org/2024/01/19/1225623652/jordan-field-hospital-gaza-israel
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/8/israels-war-on-gaza-live-us-says-space-for-truce-deal-israel-vows-war?update=2692825
• https://www.reuters.com/article/israel-palestinians-turkey-idUSL8N3C0770/
• https://www.who.int/news/item/14-10-2023-evacuation-orders-by-israel-to-hospitals-in-northern-gaza-are-a-death-sentence-for-the-sick-and-injured
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/6-palestinians-are-killed-in-the-israeli-militarys-latest-west-bank-raid-health-officials-say

Monday 22 September 2025 — As world leaders gather in New York for the 80th UN General Assembly, we, the undersigned humanitarian organisations working in Yemen, urge urgent and decisive action to address the worsening crisis in Yemen threatening to push millions of families past the brink of catastrophe. Yemen’s crisis has stripped people down to the most basic of needs, making every day a struggle for survival.

Today, over 17 million people are facing hunger, with at least 41,000 of them being at risk of experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger – the toll on children being alarmingly staggering. At least 2.4 million children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition, including hundreds of thousands at risk of severe acute malnutrition – a life-threatening condition without immediate treatment. Tragically, based on known records, at least two children have already lost their lives to malnutrition in recent months.

These figures are far from static — hunger and malnutrition are projected to worsen sharply in the coming months as aid cuts, disease outbreaks, and economic decline continue to erode families’ ability to cope. In one out of five households, someone goes a full day and night without any food at all. This includes children going to bed hungry, while parents are skipping meals so their little ones can have whatever little is available, leaving them feeling helpless as their children grow ill and severely weak. Without urgent action in the remaining months of 2025, vulnerable areas in Yemen will likely plunge into famine.

In recent weeks, flash floods have torn through parts of Yemen, killing and injuring 157 people, destroying shelters, and washing away arable lands, which threatens livelihoods and risks worsening hunger. More than 50,600 families, many of whom are internally displaced, have now lost their homes and sources of income to the floods.¹

Damaged water and sanitation infrastructure – already fragile as a result of the conflict, coupled with limited access to healthcare, continue to fuel the spread of the diseases. As of the end of July, over 58,000 suspected cases of cholera and acute watery diarrhoea, with 163 associated deaths, have been reported – making Yemen one of the worst-affected countries in the world². In addition, reports of dengue fever cases indicate a concerning rise compared to 2024 figures. Epidemiological surveillance and response efforts are further hampered by the lack of funding, meaning the true scale of the outbreak is likely far higher than the reported figures. Women and girls continue to be disproportionately impacted.

This situation is forcing vulnerable and marginalised families and communities to adopt negative coping mechanisms such as early marriages, taking children out of school and child labour. Together with a reduction in services, the adoption of such strategies has long-term implications for the future generations of Yemen.

The regional tensions continue to spill over into Yemen, destabilising the country and further worsening the humanitarian situation. Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure remain widespread, with over 880 civilian casualties reported so far in 2025,³ alongside extensive damage to critical infrastructure.

Aid workers – the lifeline for millions – face constant threats. The recent round of detention targeting UN staff members, along with previous detentions of humanitarian staff since June 2024 and prior, has escalated risks and deeply obstructed lifesaving assistance.

The 2025 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan is severely underfunded, standing at only 18 per cent as of early September – the lowest level of funding for the country’s appeal in a decade. Out of the 19.5 million people in need, the appeal was already only intended to assist 10.5 million,⁴ but current funding levels mean that even the vast majority of those will be left without planned assistance. The situation has forced humanitarian actors to make impossible choices, often described as taking food from the hungry to feed the starving.

Despite the immense challenges, hope remains as aid organisations continue reaching 3.7 million people each month – constituting less than 35 per cent of those targeted – with food, water, healthcare, protection, shelter, and cash assistance⁵. This demonstrates our commitment and ability to deliver aid where it is needed. We stand ready to reach far more people in crisis and to support the people in Yemen to recover and rebuild their lives, if funding is scaled up to meet the immense needs.

Yemen is at a breaking point. The international community must act decisively:

• Scale up humanitarian funding: Donor governments must urgently provide sufficient resources to ensure that food, health, water, and protection programs continue without interruption for those in need.
• Centrality of protection is ensured in all interventions, with adequate funding for protection-related services.
• Link humanitarian aid with resilience and development: Donor governments and policymakers must ensure that immediate relief is paired with efforts to strengthen livelihoods, services, and recovery systems, laying the groundwork for long-term development and breaking Yemen’s cycle of recurring needs.
• Protect civilians and civilian infrastructure: Member states should call for all parties to respect international humanitarian law, refrain from attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Civilians are not a target.
• Use diplomatic leverage to protect aid workers: Member states and regional actors should press for the immediate release of detained aid workers and advocate for unhindered movement of humanitarian personnel and supplies.
• Reinforce commitment to peace: Member states should sustain diplomatic efforts to support the UN peace process and ensure Yemen is not forgotten as global and regional agendas compete for attention.

Yemen’s people cannot endure further suffering. The time to act for Yemen is now. Urgent, coordinated action at UNGA 80 is essential to save lives and prevent a deeper humanitarian catastrophe.

Signed by:

• Action Contre la Faim (ACF)
• Action for Humanity International
• ADRA
• Al Khair Women Association
• AlMamoon Foundation for Development
• Arab-European Center for Human Rights and International Law (Oslo) CARE
• Caritas Poland in Yemen
• CIVIC
• Concern Worldwide
• Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
• Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
• Dorcas
• Enqath Foundation for Development EFD
• FARHM Network for Development and Peace
• Field Medical Foundation (FMF)
• Geneva Call
• Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion
• Helpcode
• Humanitarian Aid and Development Organization (HAD)
• International Medical Corps
• International Rescue Committee (IRC)
• INTERSOS
• Islamic Help UK
• Islamic Relief Worldwide
• Light Foundation for Development
• Medglobal Yemen
• Mercy Corps
• Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
• NPA OXFAM
• Polish Humanitarian Action
• Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
• Rafd Al-amajad Foundation for Development
• READ Foundation UK – Yemen (RFY)
• Relief International (RI)
• Saferworld
• Save the Children
• Secours Islamique France (SIF)
• Social Development – Hodeidah Girls Foundation
• Super Novae
• Triangle Generation Humanitaire
• Union of Social Charitable and Developmental Associations and Foundations
• War Child Alliance
• Wings of Peace Charitable Foundation for Development and Humanitarian Response

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¹ OCHA Report on Yemen: Heavy Rains and Flooding, Situation Update No. 01

Yemen: Heavy Rains and Flooding, Situation Update No. 01 – Yemen | ReliefWeb

² WHO, Multi-country outbreak of cholera, external situation report #29 -28 August 2025 , https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-outbreak-of-cholera–external-situation-report–29–28-august-2025?utm

³According to the Civilian Impact Monitoring Project

⁴ OCHA, Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 (January 2025) [EN/AR], 15 January 2025
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-2025-january-2025-enar

5 OCHA, 68 aid organisations in Yemen call for solidarity and urgent action on World Humanitarian Day, 19 August 2025, https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/68-aid-organizations-yemen-call-solidarity-and-urgent-action-world-humanitarian-day-enar

As a proud partner of ACFID, Islamic Relief Australia stands united to ensure the safety and dignity of humanitarian workers worldwide.

As humanitarian organisations, we are united in our commitment to provide life-saving assistance for communities facing conflict, disaster, and crisis. In order to operate in these contexts, our personnel must be able to operate with safety, dignity, and protection.

It has never been more dangerous to be an aid worker. 2024 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel, with more than 380 aid workers killed worldwide. Alarmingly, 2025 is on track to be even worse, with 267 aid workers having already lost their lives.

We commend the global leadership of the Australian Government and nations around the world who have endorsed the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, reaffirming commitments to respect and uphold international law, at a time when it is being defied in all corners of the globe.

International humanitarian law provides a shared framework which applies to all parties involved in an armed conflict. The existing international legal framework is clear and comprehensive, and there is renewed hope that this Declaration will bring practical action to ensure greater respect for the protection of humanitarian personnel while putting an end to impunity for those who violate international law.

We, the undersigned, support the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel to improve the safety and security of humanitarians, reflecting existing obligations under international humanitarian law.