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Donate generously to the Palestine Emergency Relief Appeal and Gaza Emergency Medical Aid Appeal
Since the most brutal attacks on Gaza in decades, a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions is unfolding before our very eyes. The international humanitarian community has recognised the collective punishment of Gaza’s civilians since October 7th. For many months now, the international media has extensively covered the devastating impact of indiscriminate bombings and ground invasions, as well as ongoing blockades of urgently needed humanitarian aid including water, food and fuel. As we delve into the complexities of Palestine’s plight, understanding the urgent need for humanitarian intervention becomes paramount. Aghosh UK and Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan are assisting our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza by providing emergency relief and support. This article discusses Aghosh UK’s Palestine Response and how it serves as a lifeline to innocent civilians hoping to survive this unprecedented manmade humanitarian disaster.
In the wake of the devastating attacks on Gaza since October 2023, the situation remains dire for its residents, who are trapped there and have no way out. In response to the unfolding crisis in Palestine, Aghosh UK, in unison with Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan and Palestine International Medical Aid (PIMA), has embarked on a crucial mission to support those affected in Gaza and the West Bank. We urge our UK donor base to continue their support for the people of Gaza during this crisis.. By donating £50, you can provide vital nurse care daily. By donating £100, you can support an ambulance service for a day. By donating £250, you can supply life-saving medication for 20 patients.
As of February 2024, we have already delivered $1.4 Million in aid for Palestine relief. Our partner Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan is coordinating relief efforts from warehouses in Cairo, Egypt, delivering humanitarian supplies to Gaza. In January 2024 alone, we delivered 150 tonnes of relief aid in 10 trucks over the Rafa Border, bringing essential supplies to Gaza. Supporting 6,000 Families for one month, we provided food items, rice, blankets, mattresses, and tents.
Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Palestine, donating to the Gaza Emergency Medical Aid Appeal can provide critical support to vulnerable Palestinian families. Your contribution helps deliver urgent healthcare assistance, addressing pressing medical needs and promoting healing for those affected by conflict-related injuries and trauma. Join us in making a difference and standing in solidarity with Palestine’s population.
The geopolitical landscape of Palestine is fraught with complexity, shaped by decades of occupation, territorial disputes, and regional tensions. Since the Nakba in 1948, the Palestinian people have faced mass forced displacement and dispossession of their homes, lands, and civil rights. Internationally acclaimed authors like Norman Finkelstein, Ilan Pappe, Quigley, Khalidi, Said and Shlaim have made significant academic contributions to map the complex geopolitical problems faced by the Palestinian people. In their writings, several persistent challenges have emerged. These include the ongoing military occupation and the expansion of illegal settlements, border control and blockades, proposed annexation plans, the contested status of Jerusalem, the refugee crisis, and isolation from international relations. Since the late 1990s, Gaza has been described as a huge open-air prison by humanitarian charities and even politicians; there are huge restrictions on any movement of people or goods into or out of the territory. The airspace and territorial water that borders Gaza are also controlled by occupying forces.
The ongoing blockade in Gaza (before the recent conflict) has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, restricting access to essential services and resources. OCHA reported a steep decline in relief missions carrying international aid entering Gaza, with 51% (39 of 77) denied by occupying authorities. The Gaza blockade has precipitated a multifaceted humanitarian crisis, characterised by acute poverty, inadequate healthcare, and food insecurity. Moreover, the blockade’s psychological toll on residents necessitates humanitarian intervention and sustained international efforts to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s beleaguered and besieged population.
Attacks on Gaza have spanned more than 200 days, killing more than 36,600 Palestinians, mostly children and women, and wounding more than 81,000 people. Over 1.8 million people have been repeatedly displaced, and as of May 2024, there is no safe place in Gaza with repeated attacks on previously designated safe areas. People remain trapped with very little access to emergency humanitarian aid. Medical infrastructure has been destroyed due to bombings, ground incursions, and disorganised military engagements, in contravention of IHL (International Humanitarian Law). Since October 2023, the people of Gaza including children, women and the elderly have been given evacuation orders, forcing them to flee from northern Gaza first to Khan Yunis, and now to the Rafah border. Rafah was previously a designated zone for about 1.5m civilians taking shelter. However, in late May 2024 Gazans were ordered to evacuate Rafah. Rafah has become the latest target of attacks and ground invasions despite international condemnation and outrage. The Rafah/Egypt border crossing has also been closed, blocking any aid supplies.
The loss of life in this conflict is overwhelming. The Gaza government media office reports that residents of northern Gaza have depleted food rations and have been forced to consume animal feed for weeks now. No one is safe from the violence as the UN has reported at least 300 health workers have been killed in the line of service. Additionally, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CJP) reported that more than 75% of the 99 journalists and media workers killed worldwide in 2023 died in the attacks on Gaza.
Injuries, whether severe or minor, require prompt medical attention to prevent long-term disability and fatal consequences. Civilians in war zones are at high risk of injuries and need medical care to mitigate the risk of death and disability. Prompt medical attention is necessary for injuries that involve severe trauma, such as broken bones, head injuries, and lacerations. Delaying treatment for such injuries can lead to infections, permanent damage, and even fatalities. Even minor injuries require timely attention to prevent long-term disability.
Refugee Palestinian families fleeing attacks face poor living conditions worsened by heavy rains that have caused a sharp rise in diseases, particularly affecting children. Epidemics are looming due to overcrowded shelters lacking necessities including sanitation. Diarrhoea cases among children under five have surged by 66%. Hospitals have been nearly completely decimated and currently, only volunteer healthcare workers are writing prescriptions. UNICEF notes that children’s lives are threatened by the rising malnutrition in the Gaza Strip. Gaza’s food insecurity is due to an alarming shortage of food, water, and health and nutrition facilities; this is all largely preventable as convoys of aid trucks are ready at the borders, however, access is repeatedly denied in contravention of international humanitarian law and the orders of the ICJ (International Court of Justice). Shockingly, 90% of children below the age of two and 95% of pregnant and breastfeeding women are facing severe food scarcity. Moreover, over 95% of households are limiting meals and portion sizes, and 64% of households are surviving on just one meal per day. To ensure small children have food to eat, over 95% of households have restricted the quantity of food adults receive.
Despite the huge challenges of this ongoing humanitarian disaster, Aghosh UK remains steadfast in its mission to restore hope and dignity to the Palestinian people. Through its Palestine Emergency Appeal and Gaza Emergency Medical Aid Appeal, Aghosh UK and AlKhidmat Foundation Pakistan have partnered with Palestine International Medical Aid (PIMA) to embark on this critical humanitarian mission. We are deploying medical personnel, equipment and resources to areas in Gaza & West Bank where medical infrastructure has been destroyed.
Showing solidarity with Palestinian citizens, Aghosh UK immediately launched its Palestine Emergency Relief Appeal in October 2023 in response to the escalation of hostilities and attacks on people trapped in the Gaza Strip. Aghosh UK and Alkhidmat coordinated their teams, resources and expertise to launch an immediate emergency response. The appeal would provide emergency relief to the people of Palestine, including hot meals, food packs, shelter homes, and medical aid. Our charities quickly collected over $3.62 million to dispatch aid to Gaza through international agencies. Generous donations have continued since then as the crisis continues.
The response was overwhelming, with people from all over the world coming forward to support the cause. Aghosh UK’s social media campaigns, email newsletters, and website updates helped spread the word and raise awareness about the urgent need for support.
Our Palestine Response was a multi-episode initiative spread over multiple months. Once the humanitarian corridor was established, our trained Disaster Management Teams, alongside doctors with relief assistants were dispatched to Gaza from the Rafah Border. On November 04, 2023, Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan dispatched its first consignment of relief aid from Pakistan to Gaza, including foodgrains, medicines, delivery kits, baby kits, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, and more. On December 26 2023, Alkhidmat shipped 20 ambulances to Gaza to deliver critical aid to displaced and affected families, as well as to children and pregnant women.
After the initial coordinated response, we stepped up our conflict relief efforts by launching the Gaza Emergency Medical Aid Appeal in support of Gaza’s refugees.
As a result of the recent aggression in the Gaza Strip, over half of the 34 hospitals and medical centres in the region were destroyed or severely damaged such that they were declared out of service. This resulted in the displacement of over 1.1 million citizens to the southern governorates, which had limited medical services. The situation was compounded by the difficult living conditions in the shelter centres, poor sanitation and no clean water which has meant surges in disease, especially among children. This situation in the Gaza Strip requires an urgent need for external support to equip at least 18 medical points across the three governorates, providing urgent and essential health care to the population.
The Gaza Medical Emergency Aid Appeal aims to improve the health and living conditions of refugees in the southern Gaza Strip by providing appropriate living services, preventing the spread of diseases, ensuring safety, and reducing the burden on government hospitals due to the high number of citizens and refugees. This strategy was in operation until the most recent attacks on Rafah in May 2024. We will continue to assess and adapt our work to provide essential care and relief to the people of Gaza.
Our Gaza Medical Emergency Aid Appeal continues to raise funds to provide:
Aghosh UK and Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan teamed with local partners including PIMA Palestine to launch mobile health units and clinics across new refugee camps in Gaza. These MHUs provide primary medical care to vulnerable patients, especially during times of restricted movement due to conflict, and can help control epidemics.
Mobile health units are self-sustaining medical facilities that can be deployed to remote or crisis-affected areas. They are equipped with medical staff, equipment, and supplies to provide basic healthcare services, such as first aid, maternal care, and disease prevention. Each unit typically includes 2 doctors, 2 nurses, 1 driver, 1 ambulance, medical equipment and medicine supplies.
Here is a list of Aghosh UK’s Palestine Response Activities from October 2023 to February 2024:
In solidarity with the people of Palestine, Aghosh UK invites individuals and organisations to join its mission of hope and compassion. There are several ways to support Aghosh UK’s Palestine response:
Your generous donations enable Aghosh UK to continue its life-saving work and provide essential aid to Palestinian families in crisis. Every contribution makes a difference and helps restore hope and dignity to those in need.
Volunteer with Aghosh UK and make a tangible difference in the lives of Palestinian communities affected by conflict and humanitarian crises. Whether you have medical expertise, logistical skills, or a passion for humanitarian work, there are opportunities to get involved and support Aghosh UK’s emergency relief efforts on the ground.
Raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Palestine and Aghosh UK’s response by sharing information and updates with your network. By amplifying the voices of Palestinian communities and highlighting the work of Aghosh UK, you can help mobilise support and solidarity for those in need.
Willing donors can donate through the Aghosh UK website by selecting your donation amount and following the instructions to complete the payment. You can also donate to the Gaza Emergency Medical Aid Appeal through the link below:
International partnerships play a vital role in relief efforts in Palestine. In the case of Aghosh UK’s Palestine Response, international partnerships with the Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan and Palestine International Medical Aid (PIMA) have allowed for a coordinated and effective response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza. These partnerships have enabled the delivery of essential aid and medical supplies to Gaza, providing relief to those affected by the conflict. Additionally, these partnerships have helped to raise awareness about the crisis and the urgent need for humanitarian intervention.
The attacks on Gaza have resulted in widespread destruction and damage to medical infrastructure, making it difficult for people to access basic healthcare services. A mobile health unit can address this issue by delivering medical care to areas where healthcare services are limited or non-existent. The unit can provide a range of services, including primary care, emergency care, and mental health support, to those in need. With the support of donors, Aghosh UK and its partners can deploy mobile health units to reach communities in Gaza, providing them with the care they need to survive the crisis.
Aghosh UK and Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan are transparent about how donations are used and provide regular updates on the impact of their relief efforts. Your donations can go towards providing hot meals, water, and medical assistance to those in need. With your support, Aghosh UK and its partners can also deploy mobile health units to reach displaced communities in Gaza, providing them with the care they need to survive the crisis. Additionally, your donations can go towards providing life-saving medication, supporting an ambulance service, or supplying nurse care to those in need.
Aghosh UK is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1188151). The charity provides annual reports to the Charity Commission, and it adheres to standards and practises of UK charities. Aghosh UK has an established track record of relief and development work in various parts of the world, including Pakistan, Palestine, and Turkiye.
Aghosh UK and Alkhidmat Foundation are collaborating for Palestine relief by combining their resources, expertise, and networks to provide essential aid and support to the people of Gaza. Alkhidmat Foundation, a well-established and respected organisation in Pakistan, has been instrumental in coordinating and delivering relief efforts from warehouses in Cairo, Egypt. Aghosh UK has been providing financial and material support to Alkhidmat Foundation for the procurement and distribution of essential supplies to Gaza.
