73,914 killed. 174,952 wounded. Over 1.9 million displaced. These numbers shouldn’t be rising during a ceasefire. But one year on, there is no end to the death and extreme hardship the people of Gaza have been enduring since October 2023.

At least 1,358 of those deaths and 4,541 of those injuries have occurred since the ceasefire came into effect.

Israel continues to bombard and restrict access into Gaza, and the enclave’s people continue to live in fear, unable to begin rebuilding their lives amid so much danger and uncertainty.

Families huddle in tents that were never designed to provide shelter for this long. Their camps are infested with rats and disease while the materials, machinery and fuel needed to build more permanent shelters are being blocked from entering Gaza.

Many of these families are now facing their fourth winter with little more than plastic sheeting for protection and warmth.

The inability to rebuild and repair the Strip’s scarred towns and cities not only traps communities in limbo, it threatens their very survival.

In mid-September a damaged 6-storey residential building in Gaza City collapsed, killing at least 21 people who had been sheltering inside and leaving others trapped under the rubble waiting for rescue teams who do not have the heavy equipment needed to save them.

On top of the danger to life, humanitarian workers face increasing restrictions on their activities and movements, creating even more barriers between vulnerable people and the help they need.

Feeding the hungry, caring for pregnant women

Despite these enormous challenges, Islamic Relief and our partners continue to support people in desperate need in Gaza, adapting our response to the rapidly changing situation on the ground.

In response to the crippling hunger crisis, we are providing hot meals to displaced families in a Gaza City shelter. So far, 500 people have received a meal of rice and meat. We are also providing many more families with vouchers which they can use to purchase food of their choice and support local markets. We ensure our support is reaching some of the most vulnerable people, including elderly people, women-headed households and people with disabilities.

We are also supporting pregnant women and new mothers left largely without access to medical care from Gaza’s decimated healthcare system. We’re providing expectant mothers with antenatal checks and vitamins to support their health and pregnancy.

Supporting Gaza’s youth

More than 25,000 children are currently enrolled in our Orphan Sponsorship Programme, receiving a monthly stipend to help cover their family’s basic needs. While the programme has massively expanded since the crisis in Gaza began, thousands of children are still in need of a sponsor. Find out more about how you can help them here.

We are also helping get children back into the classroom after years of disrupted learning. In North and South Gaza, more than 2,500 young students are attending 13 temporary learning centres supported by Islamic Relief. There, they take classes on subjects including Arabic, English and maths, while those who need it can also access counselling sessions. To support the children’s learning and health, we also provide fortified biscuits, enriched with vitamins and minerals.

International action urgently needed

Your generosity makes it possible for our support to reach Palestinian families living through one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Every pound, dollar or euro you give strengthens the lifeline Islamic Relief has been providing to Palestinians in need since 1997.

But humanitarian aid alone is not enough.

The ceasefire has failed to provide the level of security, protection and humanitarian assistance that Palestinians were promised and have the right to. World leaders must take immediate action to protect Palestinian civilians and alleviate their suffering, and apply pressure on Israel to comply fully with its obligations under international law. Nowhere near enough aid is getting into Gaza to meet the massive needs. Humanitarian access must be facilitated, so that vital aid reaches everyone who needs it. All crossings into Gaza must be reopened to all humanitarian and commercial goods to enter at scale. Restrictions on ‘dual use’ and critical items must be removed. Humanitarian aid must be delivered independently and impartially.

Please help us to continue advocating for and providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza. Please donate to our Palestine Emergency Appeal today.