Israeli-Palestinian crisis update: We are nearly at £1 million

How your donations are supporting our partners in their response

Caritas Jerusalem

Currently in Gaza only 13 out of 36 hospitals are functioning and all these are only partially functioning. Thanks to your support we have allocated £100,000 to our partner Caritas Jerusalem, who are providing medical care and mental health support to women and children.

Caritas Jerusalem have 12 medical teams that are operating across Gaza. To date, they have reached over 9000 people with medical care, cash assistance and mental health support.

Caritas Jerusalem continues to provide these essential services to vulnerable people despite the deeply challenging circumstances. The Holy Family compound in Gaza city where Caritas Jerusalem has an emergency health clinic and distribution point has been directly impacted by fighting on several occasions which has caused huge destruction and civilian casualties. The situation is terrifying and Caritas staff in Gaza continue to pray that peace would come.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Thanks to your donations we have allocated £100,000 to Catholic Relief Services (CRS). You are helping provide emergency support consisting of shelter, cash, vouchers and psychological assistance to 17,000 families across Gaza and the West Bank.

CRS has been able to continue to provide help in the north and maintain distribution points in the middle area of Gaza.

They have successfully carried out an e-voucher program working with three vendors that allowed people to purchase a variety of food and crucial household items like hygiene and cleaning supplies).

CRS has opened three warehouses and two distribution points in the north and provided meals, bedding kits, shelter, water and sanitation and hygiene items to 4,600 families.

Despite the challenging context, CRS and partners have supported over 860,000 people with various forms of assistance.

• Bedding supplies for 14,320 families

• Tarps for 22,017 families

• Tents for 480 families

• Food parcels to 141,178 families

• Cash assistance to 28,337 families

CRS and partners have provided psychosocial support to nearly 1,000 children across seven shelters.

Our local partner in Khan Younis

In Khan Younis, your support is ensuring that our local partner, who can’t be named for safety reasons, is able to continue their vital work. They are providing educational opportunities for children who have not been able to go to school, and providing recreational activities to help children cope with the traumas of ongoing conflict. They have opened their centres to support displaced people with bedding, shelter and basic supplies such as food and hygiene items. Just last week, we received the devastating news that one of their educational centres, established in a so-called humanitarian zone’ was hit by an airstrike. Sadly, a number of children were injured. Our partner remains resolute, however and continues to work closely with local community members to identify and respond to the needs around them.

Supporting Bedouin communities

Thanks to your support, we have allocated £10,000 to support Bedouin communities in the South of Israel. They are working with local emergency support groups to provide psychological support and build emotional resilience and the work has been very successful in restoring a sense of hope and wellbeing. We are preparing to provide further support to scale up this work.

Hotline for migrants and refugees

Thanks to your donations, we have allocated £5,000 to support the families of missing and kidnapped migrants following the terrible attacks by Hamas on 7 October 2023. Through paralegal and legal advocacy, they are helping to ensure all victims, including migrants, have access to the full range or rights and benefits.

The situation continues to be desperate. The majority of people in Gaza have been displaced at least once and many multiple times and are in need of shelter, medical care, food, water and basic supplies. They need our support to help them survive, heal, and recover. We continue to call on the UK government to support permanent ceasefire and stop the sale of arms and military technology to Israel.

Please continue to pray for the people of Gaza and for a permanent ceasefire. Together, we stand in solidarity and send our prayers for lasting peace and those affected by this crisis.