Tag: Gaza

A chronic lack of fuel is crippling life in Gaza. Despite efforts to adapt, hospitals and some aid agencies, water desalination facilities and bakeries can no longer properly function. On Wednesday the United Nations issued a stark warning that it will be forced to stop its relief work in Gaza entirely if fuel is not allowed into the territory.

Here, we explain the causes and effects of the fuel crisis in Gaza.

What’s happening in Gaza?

Gaza is under bombardment amid a serious escalation in conflict in the region that has so far left over 9,000 people dead and tens of thousands more injured across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel.

More than 1 million people have been ordered to evacuate northern areas and move to the south of the Gaza Strip, where the level of bombardment is less ferocious than in the north but conditions remain extremely difficult and dangerous.

Israel cut electricity, fuel and water supplies to Gaza from October 9 as part of a ‘total siege’ of the coastal enclave. In the last week, a small number of trucks carrying humanitarian aid were allowed in through the Egyptian border, but the amount onboard is nowhere near enough to meet the huge need in Gaza.

Do the aid convoys include fuel?

No. No fuel has entered Gaza as part of the aid convoys that have been allowed to enter since October 21, nor at any time since the attack on Israel on October 7 and the bombardment of Gaza that followed.

Despite a slight easing of siege conditions, Israel has so far not granted access to allow any fuel into Gaza.

The aid convoys have so far included only food, water and medical items.

Does Gaza rely on Israel for fuel?

Yes, Gaza does not produce its own fuel and so is totally reliant on imports, for which it needs Israel to grant permission.

What effect is the lack of fuel having on families?

Without fuel, Gaza’s only power plant is unable to run, leaving families without electricity in their homes.

People have been forced to adapt to frequent electricity supply issues for many years, so generators have become a commonplace back up when mains electricity is down.

Right now, however, there is no fuel to power these generators and families are completely without electricity, unless they have access to solar panels.

This means people cannot charge their phones, and so they are struggling to contact loved ones, to keep up to date with the news, or to make contact with the outside world. Communications difficulties have been further compounded by a severing of internet and mobile phone links on October 27 as part of an intensification of military operations.

No electricity also means refrigerated and frozen supplies families have at home are spoiling – a devastating situation amid severe food shortages.

The evacuation order led to many people moving in with relatives, creating crowded conditions. Without electricity, they are not able to use electric fans to make the situation a bit more comfortable, nor are they able to keep the lights on at night. With winter on the way, fears are mounting that families could be left facing extreme cold.

On top of all this, cars and other vehicles – including ambulances, aid agency vehicles, and water tankers – are running low on petrol with little hope of filling up in the near future. This is making it harder for aid agencies, health workers and others to do their life-saving work, and harder for people to find the things that they need – from bread to babies’ nappies – as they’re becoming limited to searching an area they can cover on foot.

Water supplies to homes and to schools sheltering displaced people have also been severely affected because the tankers that would normally deliver water in emergencies cannot get fuel. Even if the water did arrive, power is needed to pump it up into the tanks which supply many homes in Gaza.

Garbage trucks are facing a similar issue, leaving trash accumulating on the streets and posing an increasingly serious health risk.

What else is being affected?

The lack of fuel is being felt across the Gaza Strip, including in hospitals, shelters, and schools.

There are major concerns about Gaza’s healthcare system, already on the brink of collapse before this escalation.

The World Health Organization has said that one-third of hospitals and two-thirds of primary care facilities have stopped functioning, with fuel shortages a major factor. Ambulances are struggling to run at a time when they’re most needed, and some doctors are performing surgeries with only the light from a phone.

The lives of many patients, dependent on electrical machinery for their survival, are in serious danger. This includes premature babies relying on incubators to keep them alive, and around a thousand Gazans with kidney disease who require regular dialysis.

Without fuel, water cannot be treated and made safe to drink. Bakeries, where people had been queuing for hours for their chance to buy bread, are closing because they cannot run their ovens.

The UN warned on Wednesday that it would not be able to continue its life-saving work in Gaza if fuel continues to be banned from aid convoys.

The UN has not only been using fuel to support the many displaced people housed in its shelters but has also been sharing it with bakeries and hospitals to allow them to continue feeding people and treating patients. Humanitarian workers, such as Islamic Relief’s emergency teams, need fuel too, so they can source and distribute desperately-needed aid. With fuel so critically low, heartbreaking decisions are now being made about which hospitals and bakeries are given fuel and which are left without.

What was the situation like before the current escalation?

Fuel shortages were not uncommon in Gaza prior to the current escalation, but a crisis on this scale is unprecedented.

Ways of adapting that have allowed people to cope in the past – such as using generators – are no longer enough as the shortages continue.

Israel considers fuel to have a “dual use”, meaning it can be used for both civilian and military purposes, so its importation into Gaza is tightly controlled and heavily monitored.

Prior to the escalation, a system of approvals and monitoring, vetted by Israel and overseen by the UN, ensured that fuel entering Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah crossing, intended for Gaza’s sole power plant, arrived without incident.

How is fuel linked to human rights?

While access to fuel might not be considered a human right, it is a vital component of ensuring that people’s basic rights can be fulfilled – including the right to healthcare, access to safe and clean water and education, and the right to live in dignity.

Without fuel, hospitals, water treatment plants, schools and the vehicles that carry people and goods to all of these places cannot function.

Islamic Relief has been a lifeline to vulnerable people in Gaza for decades and has been continuing to support those in need during this escalation whenever it has been safe to do so.

With the humanitarian crisis spiralling still further out of control, Islamic Relief continues to call on the Israeli government and the international community to ensure fuel supplies can begin to enter the Gaza Strip once again.

Aid convoys carrying fuel must be allowed to enter without delay to prevent hospitals, generators, lights, and essential medical equipment from shutting down and to enable vital water desalination plants and water pumps to start operating again.

Islamic Relief issues call to action

In these critical times, we call upon all parties involved to commit to the principles of international humanitarian law (IHL) and prioritise rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access. Fuel, as a crucial resource, plays a pivotal role in sustaining life-saving operations, including the provision of food, clean water, medical services, and shelter. We must recognise the indispensable nature of fuel and its impact on the well-being of the 2.2 million Gazan civilians caught in this crisis.

Islamic Relief is urging the international community and all those with influence over parties to the conflict to commit to and press for:

1. An immediate ceasefire
2. Respect for the principles of international humanitarian law, ensuring the protection and well-being of all civilians and humanitarian workers.
3. Unimpeded humanitarian access, removing obstacles that deny humanitarian organisations secure access to affected communities.
4. An immediate end to restrictions that have cut off the flow of vital fuel to Gaza, acknowledging the critical importance of fuel for delivering humanitarian assistance and allowing vital infrastructure to function.

The level of suffering and deprivation in Gaza is of unprecedented severity. As well as responding to humanitarian needs as best we can amid the current restrictions, Islamic Relief will continue to advocate for a ceasefire, for the upholding of international humanitarian law and basic rights, and for an easing of restrictions that are impeding aid operations and costing lives.

Please stand with us in advocating for a ceasefire, in pressing for an end to restrictions on fuel, and in doing all we can to bring life-saving aid and hope to those who need it most.

Please help Islamic Relief to support and stand up for people in desperate need in Gaza. Donate to our Palestine Emergency Appeal now.

Leading Australian agencies responding to the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, including ActionAid, Act for Peace, Anglican Overseas Aid, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, and Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA are calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to boldly speak out in favour of an immediate ceasefire and an end to the bombing of civilian and medical infrastructure to prevent further loss of civilian lives in Gaza.

The Australian Government, which has supported Israel’s right to defend itself, must use its influence to call for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians and the delivery of adequate humanitarian assistance to meet the growing demands in Gaza.

Michelle Higelin, Executive Director, ActionAid Australia: “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic with a growing death toll. With no ceasefire and inadequate provisions of aid crossing the border, more innocent lives will be lost. Millions of civilians are facing no guarantee of safety each and every day. One horror cannot justify another, we call on the Australian government to employ all available means to stop the bombing of innocent civilians, ensure a ceasefire is in place alongside a sustained, protected humanitarian corridor.”

“Hospitals in Gaza are running out of fuel. Al-Shifa Hospital, run by ActionAid partner Al Awda Health and Community Association (Awda), will run out of fuel in the next 24 hours. We have heard from our colleagues on the ground that children, patients, babies in incubators, pregnant women will lose their lives if fuel is not provided to hospitals in Gaza.”

Jo Knight, Chief Executive Officer, Anglican Overseas Aid: “The Ahli Hospital in Gaza has been a long-standing partner of the Australian community through Anglican Overseas Aid. Despite the recent rocket blast that killed and wounded hundreds of people, the devoted staff of the hospital partially reopened it two nights later and are providing critical care to those in need with dwindling supplies of medication, equipment, and fuel. We call for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the loss of civilian lives, and protection of medical infrastructure.”

Anthea Spinks, Director of Programs at Oxfam Australia: “Gaza faces a dire crisis—no power, scarce food, lack of clean drinking water and insufficient medical supplies. Oxfam staff are witnessing intolerable suffering for civilians who are cut off from vital services and aid amidst escalating violence. Civilians must not be targeted by any side – we need an immediate ceasefire so life-saving humanitarian aid can safely reach people most in need.”

Samir Bennegadi, Chief Executive Officer, Islamic Relief: “We call for an immediate ceasefire and for international law to be upheld. All parties have a duty to protect civilians from harm, avoid targeting civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and humanitarian facilities, and ensure that civilians have access to basic necessities such as water, food and power. At the moment that duty is clearly not being met.”

Kate Lee, Executive Officer, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA: “Hundreds of thousands of lives can be saved if the governments of the world push for a ceasefire and move to protect all civilians. This is the message that the Prime Minister Albanese needs to take to President Biden and all allies urgently.”

“The starvation of 2.3 million children, women and men is happening now. The bombs have damaged 43% of homes in the Gaza Strip, and hundreds of thousands of people are displaced. The current situation is an affront to humanity. Our government must act to ensure a ceasefire”.

Agencies supporting this statement are urgently calling for an immediate ceasefire and a sustainable, protected humanitarian corridor to allow desperately needed aid, including fuel, into Gaza.  All organisations are responding to the unfolding humanitarian crisis either directly or through local partners in Gaza.

In Gaza, the already dire humanitarian situation worsens, as already struggling civilians once more face the horror of major airstrikes.

The nightmare began on early Saturday morning, 7th October 2023, when major airstrikes commenced, sending shockwaves across Gaza.

Since the wake of the bombing, the number of dead and critically injured has been rising across the region, marking an unprecedented escalation of violence and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Thousands of Palestinians in Need of Support

Islamic Relief staff in Gaza have described the situation as being unlike anything they’ve ever seen.

The latest death toll, as of October 10th 2023, stands at 500 Palestinians and over 8,000 injured. But the number is expected to be more, as airstrikes have targeted residential blocks without any prior notice of strikes.

Hostilities have also led to internal displacement.  More than 17,500 families, comprising over 123,538 people, have been internally displaced in Gaza, mostly due to fear, protection concerns and the destruction of their homes.

Out of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), a report from the United Nations estimates that 73,538 people are sheltering in 64 schools, some of which are designated emergency shelters.

Gaza Targeted by Occupying State

Israeli airstrikes and shelling have targeted houses and apartment buildings in Gaza.

In some cases, residential buildings were reportedly struck without warning for residents to evacuate. Notably, four large residential towers with multiple floors of residential units (Palestine, Al-Hashim, Wattan, and Al Aklouk) in Gaza City were completely destroyed. 

According to the Gaza Ministry of Public Works and Housing, 159 housing units have been destroyed, while 1,210 have suffered severe damage.

Civilians Also Deprived of Health Support

6 healthcare workers were killed and four injured by Israeli airstrikes that also damaged seven healthcare facilities and nine ambulances. 

Israeli airstrikes have also caused damage to WASH-related facilities, undermining the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services to over 400,000 people.

In Gaza, more than 90% of available water was unsafe to drink before this most recent escalation and food supplies were not enough for most families. Without support from WASH-related services, much of the population will struggle to access the clean water needed to survive.

Gaza also suffers from a chronic lack of electricity supply, which has a knock-on effect on health, water and sanitation services’ ability to operate. Gaza’s current electricity generation is less than 60 MW. This falls significantly short of the necessary power to sustain WASH services across the entire Gaza Strip.

A desperate situation made worse

On Monday, October 9th 2023, Israel announced a ‘total’ blockade of Gaza, including a ban on food and fuel, and the water supply to Gaza was cut. The impacts of this are likely to make the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza even worse.

Decades of occupation, blockade, and recurring conflict have created a humanitarian nightmare in Gaza. Most people do not have enough food, 90% of available water is unfit for public consumption and trauma is taking its toll on ordinary families.

Gaza’s healthcare system is also particularly fragile, with overstretched and poorly-equipped health facilities struggling to meet rising needs.

Much of the population relies on humanitarian aid from charities like Islamic Relief just to survive and this number may well rise as internal displacement spikes due to the ongoing hostilities.

Islamic Relief Provides Ongoing Support for Gaza

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 urgently needed essentials.

With your support, Islamic Relief will remain a lifeline for Palestinian families. Help support our brothers and sisters in Gaza during their time of need.

As the first winter showers hit the Gaza Strip, Palestinian families are struggling to keep themselves warm and gain access to essential aid and resources.

In Gaza, the advent of winter marks a season of infrastructure problems, rainwater flooding and massive power cuts. Per day, people receive just 40 per cent of required power as a result of the city power plant’s inability to operate at full capacity due to a lack of fuel, placing the continuation of basic essential services at risk.

This, combined with the lack of funding and successive sieges that have further worn-out the infrastructure of houses and buildings within the Gaza Strip, has left Palestinians suffering through another winter season.

Palestine needs external aid to survive the winter weather

Islamic Relief teams are on the ground in the Gaza Strip, distributing survival items to help more than 455,000 vulnerable people get through the harsh winter season. The intervention is assisting people like Yasser, who lives in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

“I have a heart condition, so I am not able to work and therefore we rely on social affairs and other aid to survive,” says Yasser, who lives with his wife and 5 children in a dangerously dilapidated house in Gaza.

“It has been hard living in my house. It didn’t have windows or doors and we were even afraid to move around the house as the ceiling could fall. There were too many cracks in it, this made us suffer from the extreme heat in the summer and the cold in the winter.”

Wintry weather meant more misery for the family

“My family always suffers a lot in the winter. Cold air comes in everywhere, and when it rained the whole house would flood. I would spend the night moving around, making sure my children would stay warm. During the daytime, I would move from one hospital to another to get treatment for my children who got ill during the winter due to their poor immune systems.”

It was a worrying, exhausting way to live, Yasser adds, “This has made me so tired and worried and makes me feel sad for my children.”

But thanks to Islamic Relief, the father-of-5 was able to improve his family’s living conditions.

“I was so worried for my children: thank God for Islamic Relief’s winter assistance.”

Yasser says: “Thank God for Islamic Relief’s winterisation project: it has allowed me to buy the tools needed for the house. Before I only had 3 mattresses between a family of 8, and now we have enough mattresses and blankets for all of us.

“Thank God, they have installed windows and doors, and worked on tiling the floor and repairing the cracks in the wall. I am optimistic that this winter my children will not drown from the rainwater flooding our home as they sleep.

“Through the Islamic Relief project, we were able to make so many repairs which will make our lives better this winter.”

You could change the lives of more families like Yasser’s

Imagine the fear and feeling of helplessness that would grip you as bombs fall on your neighbourhood, while you struggled to find enough food and medicine for your family in harsh cold weather.

Islamic Relief Australia is helping vulnerable families in 17 countries to survive the harsh winter elements. In worst-hit regions like the Gaza Strip in Palestine, Islamic Relief is on the ground, delivering food packs, blankets, mattresses, winter clothes and other heating items to those who need them most.

Your donation would give fathers like Yasser the basic essentials and proper housing infrastructure he needs to help his family stay warm this winter. Ensure that they get the relief they need by showing your support.

Islamic Relief calls for an end to the blockade of Gaza

The latest round of attacks on Gaza has further jeopardised and hampered the road to achieving permanent peace. On 5 August, Israeli airstrikes hit multiple locations in the Gaza Strip, including Gaza City, Beit Hanoun and Khan Younis.

By the time the escalation concluded with a truce two days later, at least 47 Palestinians had been killed, including 16 children. Around 360 Palestinians were injured, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The strikes damaged at least 1,761 housing units, according to the UN, leaving hundreds displaced and thousands more affected.

Gaza’s only working power plant was turned off for two days to conserve fuel, while the power lines supplying many homes and health facilities in Gaza sustained significant damage.

The fallout from the escalation has been made worse by Israel’s 15 years-long blockade on Gaza, which restricts the flow of essential goods and people in and out of the territory.

An end to the blockade

Islamic Relief welcomes the UN-Egyptian brokered truce, which has held since coming into effect at midnight on August 7. We hope it will bring an end to the deaths of civilians seen over the weekend. However, a ceasefire is only a temporary solution to the situation in Gaza. It is not enough to prevent future escalations of violence.

We believe that without meaningful action to address the injustice and inequality at the heart of the situation in Gaza, periodic flare ups in violence will continue, and more civilians will lose their lives.

World leaders must seize this moment to truly address the root causes of the crisis in Gaza and seek a viable lasting solution. Messages of condolence shared on social media do nothing while the underlying issues continue to be ignored.

The Palestinian people deserve to live in freedom and security. For this to be possible, the blockade of Gaza, and the wider illegal occupation of Palestinian territory must be brought to an end. Islamic Relief calls for an end to the Israeli occupation, and for a lasting solution to the conflict that is rooted in international law and justice for all.

A dire humanitarian situation

Every escalation in violence exacerbates the already-dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. While tThe blockade places huge strain on everyday life in the area. For more than 15 years, the Israeli government has controlled Gaza’s land borders, territorial waters and air space, creating what has been called ‘the world’s largest open-air prison’.

The blockade has turned Gaza’s once-vibrant economy into an area where 80 per cent of residents now rely on aid, and many children go to bed hungry. The health system is on the verge of collapse and the economy is in freefall.

Under the current situation, the youth of Gaza look to the future and see steep unemployment, poverty and crisis. Every day, lives and dreams are being crushed.

Islamic Relief has been working in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1997, responding to emergencies and supporting development. During last weekend’s escalation, we provided food and supported medical facilities treating the injured.

We will continue to stand with the people of Palestine. We will advocate for their right to freedom and safety, and we will urge the international community to uphold its responsibilities to the Palestinian people and seek an end to the illegal blockade and occupation.

Urgent action is needed to protect the rights of the people of Gaza, which remain under threat with each day the blockade continues.

Maryam al-Masharawi, 20, Gaza City 

Maryam has lived through a painful experience recently; one she will not be able to forget. During the recent bombing of Gaza, she lost one of her closest friends.   

The most painful thing is to experience losing someone. This painful experience happened to me in the recent bombing of Gaza. I couldn’t control myself and I had a kind of nervous breakdown for days and I was crying all the time. It’s hard to lose someone close to your heart. 

I was afraid of the bombing, but when I saw the picture of my friend and the scene of her death, I couldn’t control myself. I always wondered when the bombing stopped if we would come out alive or dead. 

The recent bombing of Gaza was the most violent. Most of the victims were children and the elderly. Fear was something we all felt, and sadness as well.  

Most of the places we used to go out to entertain ourselves were damaged, even the towers in which the educational centres used to be were destroyed.  That was where we used to go for our courses and training.  

The bombing stopped, but it left deep psychological wounds inside the people of Gaza.  

We feel pain and oppression when we find an entire family that died in the bombing, and only a small child remains of them. We keep thinking about how he will continue his life. The loss is very painful for that small child. Perhaps if a person lost their life, it would be easier than losing someone they used to see, like a colleague, a friend, a member of their family. 

My mother has a brain tumour. She fainted due to the psychological pressure of the bombing, but it was very difficult to move her and to reach the hospital, for fear that the bombing would take place while she was on her way from one place to another. 

It is possible that you can be subjected to more harm when you move, so ill people prefer to stay at home and bear the pain that they go through rather than go out and be exposed to greater danger.  

Our doctors in Gaza are working efficiently to provide health care, but in the end, no matter how many medical services we have, it will not be enough. The number of patients is large, especially those with chronic diseases who need to travel to receive medical services that are not available in Gaza. 

But we find it very difficult to travel. For example, occasionally, my mother had to travel abroad to receive treatment. Due to the closures at the crossings, she had to try to travel twice, but in the end all her attempts were unsuccessful, and she returned home. 

We were very shocked at how she was treated. My mother was in very poor health, and travelling was physically and psychologically tiring for her. 

I study mechatronics engineering. I’m one of the distinguished students but I am afraid when I graduate from university, I will not be able to find a job like thousands of other graduates in Gaza. 

I know many who graduated from universities and after years of studying hard were not able to get jobs, and this reflected negatively on their lives. You find that the youth in Gaza getting frustrated or feeling forced to travel abroad.  

What worries me the most is losing sick family members who cannot have adequate healthcare. Their health will deteriorate, and we will have to experience the bitterness of losing them.  

Regarding education, I’m afraid that I will not get any job opportunity after graduation, and my efforts in education and in developing skills will be in vain. 

Despite my anxiety and worries I still have a great ambition to be successful and distinguished in my field of study, to graduate, and find a job through which I can make a positive impact on society and be useful to the people around me. 

Help people like Maryam, Donate Today.

34 years Heba is a widow and mother to Amir (12) and Nadim (10). Her home was destroyed in the recent bombings and she remains traumatised about her future.

Heba’s home is a small room on the roof of a two-storey building. The ceiling is made of metal sheets that caved in during the recent bombings by the Israeli forces.

“My children and I were able to run away from our home. We were shivering in fear,’’

SAYS A VISIBLY DISTURBED HEBA

She returned to find the metal sheets a mangled mess, strewn over a few kitchen utensils and supplies destroyed and unusable. She was devastated by the destruction, which robbed her of her frugal possessions.

“I thank Allah for saving our lives, but I don’t feel safe in my home anymore. I fear the next bomb is going to land on our house and kill us”, she says simply, resigned to her faith.

Heba’s house has no kitchen and no bathroom. She has been painstakingly trying to save money to complete the construction, but she doesn’t have the resources. Now with the roof caving in, she is helpless.

A widow and a mother of two, Heba has been taking care of her children for eight years since her husband’s death. She has no job and no means of earning a living.

“Living under the asbestos sheets is hard and gives me wheezing. In summers the room gets intensely hot, but now with no roof over our heads, we fear the worst. I don’t sleep most nights for fear that my children may get hurt.”

Heba lives in trauma of her future. Without any ostensible way of earning a living, escalating food prices brought on by Israeli blockades, her hope for her children in dwindling.

She has no dream but for a safe home for her children.

Help people like Heba provide a safe home for their families, Donate Today.

I’ve lost my only source of income because of the bombings. First my greenhouse was bombed, then my crops were damaged and now the soil is no longer fertile for me to do any cultivation.

WESAM

Wesam is a farmer in the southern part of the Gaza strip. Eking out a living as a farmer is hard work in any part of the world, but even more so in Gaza. His greenhouse was directly hit during the continuous bombing raids and the sweet pepper plants he had planted four months earlier were destroyed.

Four years ago, Wesam was able to benefit from the Murabaha (Cost-Plus Financing) system with Islamic Relief to establish his agricultural greenhouse.

“I never imagined that my greenhouse would be bombed and that I would lose my livelihood in the blink of an eye.

I spent all my time and effort on my small plot. Every day after Fajr prayer, I would go to the greenhouse to look after my crops. I loved being there and seeing the seedlings growth day by day.

My brother would work with me, and we were able to support two of our families with it. We worked hard with what we had and didn’t ask for more help. We sold our crops in the market and were able to provide for our families.

I would grow melons, cucumbers, and tomatoes, but this year we will sell nothing. The sweet pepper which I cultivated have all been destroyed.  

I was able to establish this greenhouse with the help of Islamic Relief’s financing, and now I am worried about paying off my debts. I am afraid that I will not be able to pay it all back as we have no other source of income.

Despair. I felt devastated and broken when I saw my greenhouse after the bombing. I felt a deep sense of despair. I couldn’t bear to see the shards of glass and melted plastic strewn all over. I had tears in my eyes, picking up the peppers, all mangled and destroyed. The remnant of the rocket and the toxic gases in the greenhouse was nauseating.

I am determined to get back, but I know that I can’t build this greenhouse by myself. I am estimating my loss to be about $5000, which is a big amount for me and more that I can ever save up.

I hope that Islamic Relief will help me and build my greenhouse so that I can support my family.

Everyone has dreams, my dream is only that I can provide a living for my children.

Help people like Wesam feed their families, Donate Today.

“Whoever kills an innocent life it is as if he has killed all of humanity.”

Surat al-ma’idah 5:32 – Qur’an

Many years of protracted war, skirmishes have all but destroyed the economy and life in Gaza, but the latest violence and destruction has brought life to a standstill.  

More than 254 people have lost their lives, among them 66 children and 38 women. Almost 2000 Palestinians have been injured, including 600 children and 400 women, significant numbers of them suffering from long term disability requiring rehabilitation, in the latest violence¹.  

More than 2,000 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged, and nearly 15,000 suffered some degree of damage. Shops, industrial units and offices have crumbled, rendering large scale unemployment. Access to supplies remains hugely challenging because of blockages, hampering the re-construction work.  

Sewage systems, drinking water, educational facilities have been severely damaged. Power supply has been critically affected. Nine hospitals and 19 primary healthcare centres have collapsed. All this has severely undermined the living conditions and access to basic services. Of particular concern is Gaza’s health system, already overwhelmed by chronic drug shortages, inadequate equipment and the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, which is now struggling to meet the needs of those injured during the hostilities. 

In the words of Muneeb Abu Ghazaleh, Islamic Relief Country Director working in Gaza, “It was so difficult and frustrating both as an individual trying to protect my family and a humanitarian worker to see the city crippled. We have never seen this scale of destruction.”  

Distribution of Food Packs

Ten year old Amina* ran out of her home in the middle of the night. “As the bombings got closer my father decided we needed to leave our home. We barely managed to eat anything that night. My school certificates are all missing,” said the tearful 10 year old.  

No other community or people have seen homelessness as the people of Palestine. The long years of war has seen them losing their homes, their families and their dignity. Over and over Palestinians have faced multitudes of losses and curtailed freedom. Gaza has been described as ‘the largest open-air jail in the world’. However, the reality is that life in Gaza often feels far worse than jail. Even those in jail have access to electricity, a continuous clean water supply and the right to receive visitors. These are basic needs which innocent people in Gaza lack. 

The Islamic Relief team in Gaza were on the ground immediately in the aftermath of the bombing. As one of the first organisations on the ground, Islamic Relief was able to distribute urgent food packets and provide medical aid and supplies to those suffering. We were able to reach out to 100, 000 people.  

The Cost of Rebuilding Gaza

As we now set out to build Gaza, newer challenges surmount us. For many in Gaza, the latest violence has been the last nail in their coffin. Wajid* is a vegetable vendor, who has seen his home destroyed the third time. “I lost my house in 2014 and it took me 3 years to build it. I put all my saving in it. As it is, I am barely able to feed my family. How can I build my house?” says the distraught father of 6.  

Long wars, destroyed schools and homes have meant severe mental health impact, particularly on children and young people. “There are children, who have only grown up seeing violence and destruction, Is that normal or okay?” questions Salma*, who works as a volunteer with Islamic Relief in Gaza and was there to see the destruction unfold before her eyes.  

Islamic Relief Australia stands with the people of Gaza in re-building their lives. We continue to work building hospitals and schools and water systems that will help people get back their lives. These systems are not built overnight, but through long prolonged work and persistence, surmounting political and geographical challenges.  

The situation is particularly critical with a looming pandemic that has killed thousands. The escalation of violence, destroyed homes and people driven to shelters has meant increased risks of transmission. The damage to health care facilities such as the Hala Al Shawa has meant a disruption of vaccination drives and treatment for patients. Additionally, the COVID-19 diagnostic centres was heavily impacted by the bombardment, which made it difficult for people to move, and the damage to the Gaza public health laboratory has to stop its functioning.   

Help Islamic Relief to deliver vital humanitarian aid in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. 

Give to Gaza

*Disclaimer: All names have been changed to protect the identity of individuals.  

On 28 May 2021, Islamic Relief Australia held a Fundraising Dinner in Support of our Gaza Emergency Appeal.

The event raised awareness of the Gaza crisis and featured our Palestine field staff live from Gaza, they informed us of the latest developments on the ground and all our ongoing work and needs.

We hosted a range of local and international speakers, and the event was live streamed to a global audience.

Alhamdulillah’s, with your support we managed to raise more than $350k on the night, so thank you to everyone who supported in the making of this event and may Allah SWT reward you all and allow us to continue to support our brothers and sisters in Gaza, For more information please visit our Gaza Emergency Appeal: HERE

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