Palestine Emergency Appeal

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can provide a family with life-saving food

Palestinians in Gaza are being bombed and starved as Israel has continued its blockade of vital supplies into Gaza since 2 March, in clear violation of international law.

The recent onslaught was the deadliest since January, shattering an already fragile ceasefire.

Families were woken as bombs tore through homes and shelters for displaced people, striking without warning in the dead of night, with complete disregard for the safety of civilians. The death toll continues to rise as more bodies are found in the rubble, and hospitals are overwhelmed.

Islamic Relief remain firm in our duty to help the people of Gaza. We have supported Palestine throughout the past 28 years, working tirelessly to deliver emergency aid, health services, education, and long-term development. Our teams are currently on the ground continuing to respond to immediate needs and will be committed to supporting the Palestinian people as the situation continues to evolve.

What is happening in Palestine right now?

The people of Gaza have endured over 500 days of intense suffering and relentless attacks. An astonishing 1.9 million people – 9 out of 10 people – have been displaced, often multiple times, from their homes and so-called safe zones since October 2023.

We have witnessed unimaginable death and destruction that has left the Gaza Strip in ruins, killing 49,547 Palestinians and injuring at least 112,719, with the exact figures expected to be much higher due to the number of people still missing.

Although the crisis is most severe in northern Gaza, UN officials warn of critical shortages of medicine, food

I do not know what to tell you. I am trying to talk but I want to cry. I got the news that our house got demolished. It really affected me. I cried a little. Then, I thought thank Allah that my kids are well. “They are more important than the house, the business and everything.

Sameera - a widow from northern Gaza

Islamic Relief is on the ground

We are scaling up our emergency response to reach even more people and more areas, working across all five governorates of Gaza (North Gaza, Gaza City, Deir al Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah in the south).

Islamic Relief remains steadfast in our determination to assist Palestinian families. Working closely with our local partners, we are distributing essential items to affected families.

Since October 2023, we have provided over £39 million worth of aid and delivered over 70 million hot meals.

We have been providing humanitarian relief in Palestine since 1997, serving as a lifeline for communities struggling with the devastating effects of occupation, blockade and recurring conflict. As Palestinian families face fresh suffering in Gaza, Islamic Relief is calling on supporters to help us provide much-needed humanitarian aid.

With your support, Islamic Relief will remain a lifeline for Palestinian families. Please give generously to our Palestine Emergency Appeal now.

Checkout our latest feedback report

See how Islamic Relief is distributing aid in Gaza and the impact of your generous donations over 500 days on. Your continuous support is truly a lifeline for families in Palestine.

The devastating humanitarian situation now

In the Gaza Strip, the strikes are thought to have destroyed tens of thousands of homes, and 4 in 5 people have had to flee their homes. As many are forced to seek shelter in dozens of schools and hospitals, they urgently need food and other basic survival items.

There are also serious health concerns due to poor sanitation and overcrowding. Outbreaks of Hepatitis A have been reported, which is highly contagious and is just one of the growing risks of diseases that civilians in Gaza are exposed to.

To make matters worse, the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, due to widespread destruction and damage of hospitals. Medical facilities which are in operation are extremely inadequate and overcrowded – with reports of centres holding three times as many patients as their capacities.

A third of the people in Palestine live below the poverty line.

The situation in Palestine is unbearable for many. Gaza has been described as an “open-air prison”. Conditions in Gaza were dire even before the recent escalations in conflict, with occupation, blockade and recurring conflict causing deep poverty and suffering.

80% of the population are dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive.

The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated places on Earth. It has a population of approximately 2.1 million people and since 2007 it has been under a land, sea and air blockade imposed by Israel. Ongoing power shortages impact essential services like health, water and sanitation leaving people desperate.

Why donate to the Palestine emergency through Islamic Relief?

Islamic Relief began working in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 1997, providing life-saving emergency aid and crucial nutritional, educational and psychosocial support to families in the region.

Our teams are providing emergency medical assistance, bedding, food vouchers and other essential aid to displaced families and those most in need. We are working with UN agencies such as the World Food Programme, to deliver vital aid to as many people as possible. Since October 2023, we have provided over £39 million worth of aid and delivered over 70 million hot meals.

Islamic Relief is calling for international aid to support rebuilding damaged infrastructure, strengthening health and electricity networks and providing psychosocial support.

Islamic Relief strongly condemns all violence against civilians – including the most recent loss of lives. All Palestinians and Israelis, regardless of religion or ethnicity, have the right to live in safety and dignity, and to have their fundamental human rights upheld.

We are calling for an immediate end to the escalating violence as any further escalation will inevitably increase civilian casualties.

Islamic Relief calls on world leaders to step up efforts to prevent any further escalation of violence, but also to demand an end to the occupation and work towards a just and lasting peace agreement.

How your donations are making a difference to the people of Palestine

Since we have begun working in Palestine, we have:

– Supported around six million people.

-Delivered programmes worth almost £109 million.

-Repaired and restored over 1,500 homes in Gaza.

-Provided clean drinking water to over 1 million people in schools and health facilities.

-Supported over 300,000 children and sponsored over 17,000 orphans.

-Delivered Ramadan and Qurbani food to around 200,000 people a year.

-Helped over 2,000 families to earn a reliable living.

This is only possible with your ongoing support. Your generous donations are having a life-saving impact.

Islamic Relief has been a lifeline in Gaza for nearly 30 years

Islamic Relief teams and local partners have remained within Gaza throughout Israel’s assault. Throughout the past 500 days, our focus has been on providing emergency relief wherever possible, as we have done during all escalations since we began working in Gaza in 1997. Now, with the temporary ceasefire fragile but continuing to hold, we continue to pray for lasting peace while preparing to support Palestinians to rebuild their shattered lives and communities.

The needs in Gaza today are huge and complex.

Our immediate priority is continuing to reach those that are most vulnerable to prevent further deaths. We will step up our emergency response efforts to increase protection for those most affected, and, when the time comes, support with repairing, rebuilding, and strengthening vital services, facilities and infrastructure.

As soon as we can, we hope to help get children back to school, get hospitals and specialist care centres back up and running, and implement other longer-term development programmes that empower communities to rebuild self-reliance in a sustainable manner. We will also continue to campaign for an end to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, so there can be lasting peace.

Trusted by Palestinian communities, we have a proven track record

Islamic Relief’s track record of delivering high-quality humanitarian and development interventions in Gaza spans nearly 30 years. Over the last 500 days, our teams and partners have consistently been among the first to respond to emergencies with lifesaving aid. The bonds of trust between our teams and people we serve underpin our plan to help meet the urgent needs of Palestinians pushed to the brink of survival.

Palestinians have suffered 500 days of massacre and misery. At least 48,000 people have been killed, including more than 15,000 children. Palestinians urgently need help to survive, to rebuild and to recover. Your support has never been more important.

By donating to Islamic Relief in these final blessed nights of Ramadan, you will save lives and offer hope to Palestinian people who continue to suffer from the relentless attacks.

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