Palestine Emergency Appeal

GAZA UPDATE

as of September 29, 2024

Your Donations are Our Amanah

Since October 2023, our hearts and minds have been consumed by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Amid the rampant destruction, our teams on the ground have been working hard to ensure your support for Palestine is reaching those in most need.

 

Since 1997, Islamic Relief has been on the ground, operating in Palestine. Working alongside UN humanitarian organisations and local partners, our staff and volunteers are distributing aid throughout Gaza every day since the escalations began.

 

Our Ongoing Response in Gaza

We are delivering daily ready-to-eat meals in Gaza, as well as medical supplies and other essential non-food items.

 

So far, we have distributed thousands in aid. This includes over million meals. Hygiene kits for more than 60,000 households. Thousands of Litres of clean water per day. As well as psychosocial support for children and women. 

Areas We are Working in

Distributions to Date

Food and Water Relief

Medical Supplies and Essential Items

GAZA 2024 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

As of September 29, 2024, 41,595 Palestinians have been killed, 96,251 injured, and 1.9 million (90% of people) displaced in the Gaza Strip.

 

Families are under constant attack, with Israel ordering them to move then bombing the tents and schools where they are told to shelter. Over 60% of homes, 85% of school buildings and 65% of roads now damaged or destroyed.

 

Our local team on the ground is relatively safe and well, to the best of our knowledge.

 

The World Food Programme (WFP), one of Islamic Relief’s international partners, helps us conduct daily food deliveries across Gaza to ensure consistent access to essential supplies for residents.

As a global family, Islamic Relief has been able to send over $83 million AUD into Gaza since the escalations began in October 2023. The money is transferred to our head office in the United Kingdom, which is then transferred to Islamic Relief staff in Gaza through local partners.

 

Our staff in Gaza are using your donations to locally procure food, hygiene supplies, bedding, and any other essential item we can source. They screen and contract local suppliers and partners, who procure either locally or through private trading routes between Gaza and Egypt. With the level of our procurement, donations are routed through wire transfers to their Palestinian bank accounts.

We continue to fund ongoing aid to address the immediate needs of entire communities in Gaza, with some examples listed in the previous section. 

 

In Ramadan, we are distributing hot iftar meals to families in need. These meals consist of nutritious and culturally appropriate food items, ensuring that recipients can break their fast in a dignified manner.

 

For the additional funds that are coming in and those we are unable to use at the moment, we are assessing opportunities to invest in long-term development programming, including rebuilding efforts. Sustainable development programming is just as vital as providing emergency relief, so your donations will be used to uplift communities.

Prices in Gaza have surged dramatically, often experiencing markups of 100-300% above normal rates. Supplies, though limited, are available but at a cost unaffordable to most. But this is where your donation makes the biggest difference! Your donations allow our team on the ground to secure essential items from local markets and suppliers and make them available to the people of Gaza – despite the limited supplies and surge in prices.

 

Additionally, through our partnership with the WFP, we have access to food supplies coming in and are able to distribute these in an effective manner. Through your donations, we have allocated over $30,000 to implement daily hot meals preparation, and that number continues to grow.


Alhamdulilah, as of March 17th, out of all the WFP partners, Islamic Relief has been providing the highest number of people daily with hot meals and food aid in Gaza.

 

 

Most of our current interventions have relied on local procurement, but also procurement through Egypt. Islamic Relief has successfully facilitated aid trucks entering Gaza through the Egypt border crossing, which has helped to alleviate some of the pressure on the ground. We are also actively exploring additional avenues of aid through various border crossings.

 

We are also sourcing other essential items locally. For example, Islamic Relief recently installed locally sourced and constructed portable toilets in Rafah. The initiative was part of our efforts to address urgent sanitation needs in the area. It’s important to note that while certain goods, such as food aid, remain a priority, other essential items, like sanitation facilities, are also prioritized to ensure basic needs are met.

 

Despite the obstacles, we remain committed to ensuring that critical aid reaches those in need in Gaza.

In the current context, we primarily focus on addressing the need for immediate and life-saving support. The viability of sustained, long-term efforts hinges on maintaining consistent and secure humanitarian access. This is an unattainable position without an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

 

Although plans are subject to change, we anticipate long-term activities to encompass livelihood initiatives such as cash-for-work and multi-purpose cash programs, as well as commitments to water, sanitation, and hygiene projects. We will likely extend our current psychosocial support programming for children to include entire families, focus on providing tailored therapy and care, and expand on recreational activities.

Islamic Relief is presently active in the Middle Area including Deir Al Balah, Zawayda, and Al Nusairat, as well as Khan Younis and Rafah.

 

Our emergency response efforts are being conducted in collaboration with two local partners: one operating in the Middle Area and the other serving Rafah and Khan Younis. Each partner is assigned Islamic Relief staff to oversee project implementation.

We understand the desire to direct aid to specific individuals, however, to maintain equal access, we are unable to fulfill such requests. We consistently work to diversify our distribution points, ensuring that aid reaches as many people as possible.

 

It is important to note that no person will be denied aid at our distributions; however, our commitment to equity drives us to prioritize equal access for all. Our focus remains on supporting shelters to the best of our ability and providing assistance through our local partners.

LATEST NEWS

OUR TEAMS ARE STILL ON THE GROUND IN GAZA

Your donations have allowed to provide relief to our brothers and sisters during this
critical time. Help us continue our life-saving work in Gaza.

STAY INFORMED

Quick Donate