Our Palestinian sisters and brothers are in need of your immediate support. Violence is escalating from Jerusalem to Gaza. Hundreds have been injured, and there are reports that 20 people in Gaza have been killed, including nine children.
“IRUSA strongly condemns the ongoing violence, aggression, and intimidation tactics used against thousands of Palestinian civilians, especially during this holy month of Ramadan,” says IRUSA CEO Sharif Aly. “In the midst of a global pandemic, any kind of aggression shocks the conscience and defies international humanitarian standards by further exposing Palestinians, already struggling with limited access to healthcare, to the deadly COVID-19 virus. We call for an immediate end to all violence and for respect of the freedom of worship guaranteed to all people under international law. We stand ready to assist Palestinians affected by this particularly cruel use of force.”
Feel their pain, and please act! We are calling on you to help us increase our aid for Palestinians in need as the situation is getting progressively worse.
Escalating violence, the coronavirus pandemic, coupled with decades of political instability have stifled economic development across Palestine and made difficult situations even worse. Most Palestinians, living inside the territories and living as refugees in neighboring regions, depend on international aid for survival. According to the World Food Program, 1.6 million people in Palestine are food insecure, including nearly half of Gaza’s population. Food expenses easily consume a majority of an impoverished family’s budget. Work options are extremely limited: Unemployment is close to 23% across Palestine, with nearly half the population in Gaza being unemployed.
In addition, continued violence throughout Palestine severely affects the most vulnerable section of the population: children, many of whom suffer from psychological trauma.
With all this considered, one thing remains clear: The people of Palestine are resilient and, with the support of donors like you, families in need there can access opportunities to break the chains of poverty and move toward success.
Islamic Relief started working in Palestine in 1994 and soon after, Islamic Relief Palestine opened its office in 1998 so long-term development projects could be implemented and overseen by people in the field.
For decades, our legacy in the country has grown to help hundreds of thousands of people every year with programs that provide livelihood support for farmers, help vulnerable children, and more. See, while the Islamic Relief community provides urgent aid in times of emergency needs, we also work with Palestinians and partners to implement long-term, sustainable programs that set families for independent success. We want Palestinians to survive and thrive! And, with your continued support, IRUSA we can make that happen.
Here’s just a sampling of efforts for Palestinian families in need
As much as we’ve been able to accomplish, there is still so much more to do. If we work together—with YOU—we can make the vision of a better Palestine a reality for so many more of our sisters and brothers in need.
Saif graduated at the top of his class in the software engineering department at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. For four months, he searched for a job.
His odds were slim: Jobs are scarce in Gaza, especially for young adults. Gaza’s youth unemployment rate is among the highest in the world at 58%.
He never landed an interview — not even a single reply.
“Staying at home doing nothing makes you feel worthless,” he said.
When he saw an announcement for a job skills program offered by IRUSA and Palestine Education for Employment, he knew that would be a good use of his time. The training focuses on practical skills that teach graduates the soft skills necessary to find and keep a job, as well as a component focusing on skills for working online.
Through this program, Saif took classes in Virtual Jobs, Project Management, and Sales. He began to understand that his good grades weren’t enough, and he recognized the weaknesses in his previous applications.
“Many aspects of my CV and cover letter needed development,” he said. With the help of the trainers, Saif was able to fix them and practice new skills, hands-on. He applied for another position as teaching assistant at Al-Azhar University — and he got the job.
Download Middle East Donor Report (updated: May 2020)