Civilians in Palestine are facing horrific living conditions, lacking adequate housing, food and sanitation. In both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, many Palestinians are struggling with housing shortages, contaminated drinking water, minimal electricity, scarce food supplies and limited medical resources. In hopes of supporting the suffering Palestinians, many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are providing aid to Palestine by fundraising and transporting necessary resources. These nonprofits include Islamic Relief, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and U.N. organizations.

Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief is dedicated to assisting the world’s most vulnerable populations. Founded in 1984 by Hany El-Banna in response to the famine in East Africa, the organization mobilized the Muslim community to support those in need, securing more than $176,000 to fund various poverty-reduction projects. From then on, the organization grew to support many other disadvantaged groups.

Today, it has lifted more than a billion people out of poverty, contributed to the increase in life expectancy and expanded access to education. Islamic Relief is currently partnering with organizations to provide aid to those in Gaza, offering hot meals, clean water, recreational activities and an orphan sponsorship program.

The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund

The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) is a key organization delivering aid to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. Founded in 1991 by humanitarians in the USA, PCRF focuses on providing health care to ill and injured children who lack access to local medical services. Since its inception, the organization has sent more than 2,000 children abroad for specialized medical care. It has also provided international doctors and nurses to local hospitals at no cost.

UN Organizations

U.N. organizations, such as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), also provide aid to the Palestinian people. In Gaza, UNICEF is on the ground, distributing clean water and administering essential vaccines. The organization focuses on the suffering of children in Palestine while advocating for an immediate ceasefire and ensuring the protection and access to resources for all children.

Additionally, UNRWA provides Palestinian families with support services, such as food, water, cash assistance, education and health care. While both U.N. organizations were initially skeptical about the dire situations faced by these disadvantaged groups, rising injury and death tolls, along with the destruction of essential infrastructure, have demonstrated the extreme vulnerability of the Palestinian people and their urgent need for assistance.

Final Note

While the humanitarian crisis in Palestine persists, numerous nonprofit organizations are successfully providing aid to the people of Gaza. Much of this success is due to the countless individuals who recognize the importance of humanitarian efforts in preventing the destruction of a vulnerable population and restoring hope for a better future.

– Sophia Kharal

Sophia is based in San Jose, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

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