Deadly Escalation in Palestine

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, over 40,000 people have been killed and thousands more have been injured or deemed missing. A recent study in The Lancet, a peer-reviewed general medical journal, has found the true death toll could reach more than 186,000 people. To add, a ‘total blockade’ has been put in place, cutting off 2 million civilians from access to food, electricity, and fuel.

United Nations officials are warning of an impending famine; about 55% of all infrastructure has been destroyed; and more than 90% of the population has been displaced. 

The attack on the health system has been particularly devastating. The World Health Organization (WHO) says 10 out of 36 of Gaza’s hospitals are partially functional, facing challenges with the shortage of medical staff and lack of essential medical supplies. Polio, a virus that can cause irreversible paralysis in a matter of hours, has also recently reemerged. High malnutrition rates and stress levels make children more vulnerable to infection, and the Gaza Health Ministry has already confirmed an alarming case of polio in a 10-month-old. 

While issues related to the delivery of humanitarian aid persist, IRUSA partners are continuing to work on the following interventions:

• Distribution of food parcels sourced by local farmers in Gaza to displaced families
• Provision of hygiene kits to people in shelters
• Provision of vital medical supplies to three hospitals including Hayfa Hospital, Al-Awda Hospital, and Al-Ahli Arab Hospital
• Access to mobile clinics for 23,400 people in shelters
• Immediate trauma response for 4,000-5,000 people 
• Winter aid including essential non-food items such as blankets, mattresses, and winter clothing

Focus on the Middle East

Decades of political instability and prolonged conflict have destroyed the communities that once thrived in the Middle East. Millions of people have been displaced from their homes and are in need of humanitarian assistance, women and children among those most affected. Three of the eight countries Islamic Relief works in – Palestine, Syria, and Yemen – have suffered greatly and are among the poorest nations in the region. With your support, we can help rebuild the Middle East.

Islamic Relief’s Legacy Across the Middle East

Islamic Relief has been working in the Middle East since 1997. Not only have we been able to provide immediate and long-term aid to those in desperate need, but we’ve also helped bring compassion, comfort, and hope back into the hearts of families across the region. Now, nearly 30 years later, the Islamic Relief global family continues to deliver life-saving aid across eight Middle Eastern countries including Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia, and Yemen.

A few of our interventions include:

• Food aid
• Access to clean and safe water, education, and healthcare
• Sustainable livelihood support
• Orphan family support
• Enhancing resilience for vulnerable populations including internally displaced people, refugees, and host communities
• Emergency aid for natural disasters
• Women empowerment
• Winter aid

We Need YOUR Help

Thanks to you, we’ve been able to accomplish so much. But there’s still so much more to do. By continuing to support our efforts in the Middle East, you can help make a difference in the lives of those in desperate need.