Palestinians are living in fear as the Israeli military escalates its attacks

47 Palestinians have been killed, including 16 children, and more than 360 have been injured since Friday evening. The death toll is expected to rise as the Israeli military has said that it plans to step up its operations in the coming week. Many of those who have been killed or injured are children. This is a humanitarian crisis.

Update: 09.08.2022

We are coordinating with local stakeholders, here is more on the recent situation in Gaza:

• Following intense hostilities, a ceasefire brokered by Egypt and the UN came into effect on 7 August at 23:30. 
• The Gaza Power Plant, shut down since 6 August, resumed function on 8 August in the afternoon.
• 1,761 housing units have sustained damages. 450 Palestinians have been internally displaced, and 8,500 people have been impacted by the damages.
• We are responding to this crisis with medical support, food assistance and non-food items.

Update: 08.08.2022

We are coordinating with local stakeholders, here is more on the recent situation in Gaza:

• According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, as of 8 August, at least 44 Palestinians had been killed, including 15 children, and about 500 injured.  
• According to the MoH, there is a shortage of 40 per cent in medications, 32 per cent in medical supplies, and 60 per cent in laboratory consumables.  
• The Ministry of Public Works and Housing confirmed that some 650 housing units have been partially damaged, of which 29 are unhabitable, 11 are totally destroyed, while the others sustained minor damage. 
• The Gaza Power Plant (GPP) shut down at noon on 6 August due to lack of fuel, causing rolling power cuts exceeding 20 hours per day. This places at severe risk the continuation of basic essential services. 
• We are responding to this crisis with medical support, food assistance and non-food items.

Update: 15.4.2022

Islamic Relief is appalled that more than 150 Palestinians have been injured in violence during Ramadan prayers at Al Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.

Israeli forces entered the site just before Friday prayers in the second week of Ramadan. Dozens of Palestinians were reportedly injured with rubber bullets, stun grenades and batons.

The injuries at Al Aqsa come amid escalating tensions and violence across the region in recent weeks, which have killed 25 Palestinians. Islamic Relief strongly condemns all attacks on civilians and is calling for a lasting solution rooted in justice and international law, including an end to the Israeli occupation.

Disaster

• Gaza described as an “open-air prison; One of the most densely populated place on earth
• 2.1 million people live under siege, with land, sea and air blockade imposed by Israel
• 80% of the population dependent on humanitarian assistance
• 95% population do not access to clean water
• Power outage that impacts essential services like health, water and sanitation
• More than half of Gaza’s people do not have enough food
• 70% youth have no employment
• 60% of the all children are anaemic and others stunted and malnourished
• Spiralling increase in Covid-19 cases and deaths.

Impact 

Violence, the Coronavirus pandemic, coupled with decades of political instability, have stifled economic development across Palestine and made challenging situations even worse. In addition, continued violence throughout Palestine severely affects the most vulnerable section of the population: children, many of whom suffer from psychological trauma.

The blockade has sealed off Gaza from the rest of the world, crippling the economy and trapping residents – including a generation of young people who have no hope of prospects for development. 70% of youth are now unemployed. Fear and lack of hope for the future have become the norm among young people in Gaza.

*World Bank 

Response

Islamic Relief calls on all actors to ensure that the protection of Palestinian youth is made a primary consideration, and the reassertion of the principles of protection is derived from the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the International Human Rights Law (IHRL). We call on all actors to ensure the need for security for young people to cross borders in order to gain access to livelihoods.

Islamic Relief has long been a presence in Gaza. Our work focuses on addressing urgent health needs, food distribution, building shelters and building livelihoods.

With your support, we launch “I Had a Dream,” a campaign to support our brothers and sisters in Palestine, struggling to support their families, access health care and shelter, and basic entitlements, including education. While dreams and hope help us survive, it is an expensive commodity for those who dodging bombs, barriers and struggle for basic humanity.

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