The alarming scale of violence in Gaza is leaving people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
Your support is needed now.
The sudden escalation of hostilities in Israel and Gaza since 7 October 2023 has seen unimaginable impacts, with the devastating human toll of more than 33,000 deaths. Over 31,900 Palestinians have been killed so far, more than 70% were children and women. The continuous war in Gaza has forced around 1.9 million people, almost 85% of the population, to flee their homes with immediate food, shelter, health, and psychosocial needs. More than 90% of Gaza’s population - 2 million people - are facing acute food insecurity, the largest ever recorded globally.
What is the current situation in Gaza?
Rafah, and the surrounding area, is where people from all over Gaza, many of them children, have fled to over the past few months to escape the conflict. It is the area where our current activities have been able to continue and the only entry point for all humanitarian aid and essential items. Changing that will significantly worsen humanitarian conditions in Gaza - an unthinkable reality - which could bring more tension to the Middle East as suffering, especially that of children, has an inflammatory effect.
Our response
Our efforts are responsive to the rapidly-changing context, and mindful of people’s holistic needs—both physical and emotional—at a time of tremendous uncertainty. Our partners on the ground are working tirelessly to provide urgent assistance to people displaced and affected by the war in Gaza.
Working with our partner Catholic Relief Services (CRS), we have been able to assist more than 600,000 people in Gaza, as well as thousands of others across the region.
To date, our partners have provided over 590,000 people with food parcels, and more than 170,000 people with multi-purpose cash assistance. Over 83,000 people received bedding supplies and more than 13,400 people were assisted with hygiene supplies.
“The most important lesson I learned from this harsh experience is to thank God for the simplest things that I had before the war. My message for people is to love the life that you live. Don't miss an opportunity to live with your friends, family and children. Sit in every corner of your house and savor all of the details. Be happy and excited when you go to your work. To watch death with your own eyes, to experience shrapnel falling on you in a terrible and crazy way, to be strong for your family and children, to lose your closest friends, to miss your previous life: All of these things make me thank God that we are still alive. The love of life and thanks to God is the basis of everything.”
The funds raised through this appeal will be used to provide immediate and longer-term humanitarian and development assistance to communities affected by the crisis in Gaza. If any excess funds remain after a crisis, or if there are changes in circumstances beyond our control that limit our ability to use the funds, they are kept in the Emergency Response Appeal so that we can respond to ongoing development needs and future crises across all our regions.
As a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), Caritas Australia is committed and fully adhere to the ACFID Code of Conduct, conducting our work with transparency, accountability and integrity. Find out more about ACFID Code of Conduct for Emergency Appeals.