Islamic Relief Canada welcomes the news that there will be a pause in the relentless bombardment of Gaza and the safe release of civilian hostages and detained children.
But a temporary pause will not be enough to end the bloodshed and address the humanitarian catastrophe. A pause will have little worth if the killing resumes in a few days. The international community must use this brief window of opportunity to work towards a permanent ceasefire and an end to the siege.
Since October 7, 1.7 million people have been displaced and only nine of Gaza’s 33 hospitals operational. Israel’s intense bombing and siege has left Gaza in ruins, with almost half of all homes now damaged or destroyed, as well as hundreds of schools and health facilities.
We are extremely worried that bombing seems to be intensifying even further ahead of the truce coming into effect, with more civilian casualties this morning.
Our leaders must act NOW! Send an email to your local representative, detailing the need for a permanent ceasefire and the upholding of international humanitarian law. Our government must not turn its back on vulnerable civilians.
In the face of the most catastrophic destruction and humanitarian crisis to date in Gaza, children are paying the heaviest price.
Nearly half of Gaza’s population are children, with over 450,000 currently left without a home. 18,000 Palestinian children have been orphaned and no longer have the emotional or financial support to survive, let alone thrive.
For the children in Gaza experiencing emotional distress, just $20 can provide group therapy for one child so they can gain access to the tools, fun activities, and knowledge to heal from their trauma. Psychosocial support lays a strong foundation for a child's mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, as well as their social and cultural connectedness.
The people of Palestine are fleeing for their lives as they experience continuing airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, and dangerous escalations of violence. These attacks have injured over 27,400 people and killed 14,128 Palestinians, further displacing 1.7 million people.
After suffering decades of violence and human rights violations, Palestinian people continue to feel unsafe in their own country. Lack of fuel, clean water and limited food supplies has forced the healthcare system into a state of total collapse, and caused significant levels of dehydration and starvation among children as essential supplies slowly run out across the Gaza Strip.
Islamic Relief is committed to responding and working with local partners to provide emergency medical assistance to nearby hospitals and urgent food support to displaced families and clean water to entire communities.
Help us provide urgent relief and continue saving lives today.
As a member of the Humanitarian Coalition, all donations made through Islamic Relief Canada to the Palestine Emergency Appeal from October 7 - November 12 will be matched up to $10 million. Our joint fundraising appeal brought together 12 of Canada's leading international aid agencies in unity for the same cause, amplifying our impact on the ground.
Islamic Relief has been on the ground, operating in Palestine since 1997. We have offices with staff and volunteers who have been distributing all emergency food and medical supplies they had previously stockpiled or could additionally procure, every day since the escalations began.
We are working alongside the Ministry of Health, UN humanitarian organizations, and local partners: Beit Lahia Development Association, Gaza Culture and Development Group, Unlimited Friends Association for Social Development, and Bayader for Environment and Development Association.
As of November 21, our team has so far distributed:
⛑️ 2.2 million medical supply items
📦 9,773 food packs
💵 4,245 food vouchers
🥬 Fresh produce to 19,103 households
🍴 372,623 ready-to-eat meals
🛏️ 9,574 blankets and mattresses
💧16,404 people received clean water
🧼 26,804 hygiene kits
🎈21,181 children received psychosocial support
However, all humanitarian agencies in Gaza are running low on essential supplies. We need your support to be able to continue sustaining distributions on a mass scale the moment new aid is allowed in.
Your Zakat can help deliver life-saving essentials to communities affected by the ongoing violence across Palestine.
At Islamic Relief Canada, we follow a scholar-verified Zakat Policy to ensure your Zakat reaches as many poor and needy people as possible to transform their lives.
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$65 can provide living essentials
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$150 can provide a family with life saving food
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$250 can provide urgent medical aid
We are focused first on areas that are accessible and where our teams can obtain and deliver aid, working with local partners to reach as many people as possible.
Every dollar you give means we can reach more civilian children, women and the elderly who continue to face hunger, poverty, trauma and loss.
Islamic Relief has been working in Palestine since 1997, reaching 530,000 individuals to date. Our work in Gaza is focused on both emergency relief and development support, ensuring sustainable long-term programs that are transformative for the communities involved.
Some of our key projects over the past few years have included:
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Distributing emergency food packs and facilitating access to clean drinking water
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Creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for 755 farmer families by planting olive trees and providing essential tools for cultivation and irrigation
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Empowering orphans and vulnerable children through education and STEM
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Enrolling children in recreational therapy and psychosocial services
Following the May 2021 escalations in Gaza, Islamic Relief launched new projects for recovery and rehabilitation, ensuring your donations reached those in most need. These projects included:
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Health: Rehabilitated and equipped 2 primary health care clinics with equipment, resources, tools and training.
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Education: Repaired and rehabilitated 3 schools, and 3 special education centers that were damaged.
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Livelihoods: Supported microbusinesses with cash assistance.
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Food: Provided cash assistance to families so they can buy household staples.
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Water Sanitation and Hygiene: Rehabilitated wastewater connections in housing units and enhanced access to clean water.
Your support for Gaza is helping our teams to deliver vital medical, food, water, and psychosocial support to Palestinians in need.
