Americares Responds to Gaza Humanitarian Crisis

Over the past year since Oct. 7, 2023, more than 41,000 people have been reported killed and nearly 97,000 injured in Gaza. In Israel, 1,200 people were reported killed and more than 5,000 injured.

An estimated 1.9 million people are displaced in Gaza—about 90 percent of the population. Those displaced are living in overcrowded, makeshift shelters without access to basic necessities like clean water and adequate nutrition, heightening health concerns.

“The situation is absolutely dire—tens of thousands of families need food, clean water and shelter—and hospitals are running out of fuel. Our support will help health facilities continue operating and providing essential health services to children and adults most impacted by this crisis.” – Deputy Senior Vice President of Emergency Programs Provash Budden

There are already more than 1.7 million reported cases of infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, skin infections and meningitis, according to the World Health Organization. In July, polio was detected in wastewater and a case of polio was confirmed, the first in Gaza in 25 years. Nearly 560,000 children under the age of 10 were vaccinated against polio during the first round of an emergency vaccination campaign currently underway in Gaza. Additional vaccination efforts continue.

Over the past year, Americares has worked to address the urgent health needs of children and adults affected by the crisis.

We are working with partner organizations with staff on the ground in Gaza to increase access to medicine, medical supplies and mental health support for frontline health care providers and survivors.

• In Gaza, we are providing medicine and medical supplies for our partner organizations Anera, Human Appeal and MedGlobal. Since the hostilities escalated in October 2023, Americares has delivered over 24 tons of essential medicine and medical supplies to Gaza, including enough medicine to fill nearly 220,000 prescriptions. Additional shipments are on the way, including 9 tons of medicines and medical supplies currently in Jordan.

• Americares is supporting six partner organizations providing mental health and psychosocial support services in Gaza. Combined, these Americares-supported efforts will reach more than 8,000 people experiencing the trauma of war and displacement

• Americares has awarded $550,000 in funding for medical teams providing essential health care services in Gaza, which has no fully functioning hospitals.

• We are also supporting health services in Egypt and Lebanon, including medical care and mental health support for children evacuated to Egypt.

In Israel, Americares worked with multiple organizations after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack to meet physical and mental health needs.

Americares funded medical equipment to support United Hatzalah volunteer emergency medical technicians, paramedics and physicians assisting people injured or displaced by the war and through HIAS, supported a mental health hotline and the distribution of household supplies and baby care items. Americares also provided funding to IsraAID, a non-governmental organization that responds to emergencies and humanitarian crises, to provide mental health support and child-friendly spaces for populations displaced within Israel due to the hostilities.

When 4-year-old Dawud*’s leg was badly broken by missile strike in Gaza, he received emergency surgery. But for a full recovery, the little boy needed medical care not available in Gaza, where many hospitals have been damaged or destroyed. With the help of an Americares-funded local partner, Dawud, his mother Reem and other family members were evacuated to Egypt. There, Dawud received the medical treatment he needed, along with physical therapy and mental health support. “They continue to help us with every need,” says Reem. “People need support after this war – moral, psychological, financial support. It’s all necessary.”

*name changed for privacy

Links:

• https://www.americares.org/emergency-program/israel-gaza-war/

Overview

In response to the devastating war in Israel and Gaza, which began on October 7, Americares has been providing critical health support and medical aid in Israel, Gaza and Egypt to meet the health needs of those affected by the crisis. The war has led to catastrophic loss of life, extensive injuries, and significant displacement, severely impacting the health and wellbeing of countless individuals. Americares response over the first six months has focused on meeting the urgent health needs of those most affected through the provision of medical supplies, medicine, and support for mental health and healthcare services.

Emergency Situation

The conflict escalated rapidly, leading to over 33,000 deaths and 80,000 injuries in Israel and Gaza. About two-thirds of the fatalities in Gaza are women and children. Approximately 1.7 million people have been displaced within Gaza, putting immense strain on the healthcare system and increasing the risk of communicable diseases. The healthcare infrastructure is on the brink of collapse, with a drastic reduction in operational facilities and a critical shortage of medical supplies and personnel.

The immediate humanitarian needs in Gaza are profound, encompassing not only the treatment of injuries and chronic conditions but also addressing acute malnutrition and the psychological impact of the conflict. The health system's deterioration has made access to essential healthcare services and medications increasingly difficult, exacerbating the population's suffering.

Response Activities

The immediate impact and fallout of this war is causing immeasurable damage to the mental and physical health of people in this region.

In response, Americares is delivering medicine and medical supplies to Gaza, as well as providing funding for medicines and medical teams providing care in shelters for internally displaced Palestinians. A shipment of medicines and medical supplies for our longtime partner organization in Gaza, Anera, funded in part by Americares, entered Gaza on November 3, 2023. A large-scaleshipment of essential medicines and medical supplies designed to treat a population of 100,000 people for three months—arrived in Gaza on November 27, 2023. With another shipment that recently arrived in Gaza, we have mobilized enough medicine to fill more than 200,000 prescriptions.

Americares is also providing emergency funding to support medical teams providing health services in southern Gaza and support services for children with medical needs in Gaza and Egypt.  

Americares has provided emergency funding to seven partner organizations working in Gaza, Israel and Egypt:

• Anera to distribute medicines and medical supplies. Americares is also funding mental health support for Anera staff in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Jordan over the next year to help aid workers cope with stress and trauma. The project will provide both individual and group counseling sessions as well as training for managers supporting employees.
• Friends of United Hatzalah to support volunteer emergency medical technicians, paramedics and physicians assisting people injured or displaced by the war in Israel. The funding will be used to resupply United Hatzalah volunteer emergency medical personnel working in southern Israel with trauma kits, defibrillators and medic bags, as well as essential humanitarian aid supplies for volunteers and those displaced by the war.
• HIAS, a global Jewish humanitarian organization focused on protecting refugees, to support a mental health hotline in Israel and distribute household supplies and baby care items to a displaced Eritrean community fleeing the attacks in southern Israel.
• Human Appeal to purchase, or reimburse the cost of medicine and medical equipment, for Palestinian Red Crescent health centers in Gaza.
• IsraAID, a non-governmental organization that responds to emergencies and humanitarian crises, to provide mental health support and child-friendly spaces for populations displaced within Israel due to the hostilities.
• INARA, a nonprofit organization that supports children affected by natural and human-made disasters, to increase access to medical care and mental health support and distribute hygiene kits, clothing and educational materials to families in Gaza and those evacuated to Egypt for medical care.
• MedGlobal to support the organization’s mobile medical teams providing care in shelters in southern Gaza.  

Challenges and Next Steps

To date, there have been numerous challenges to responding in Gaza, including logistical hurdles, security concerns, and operational restrictions. Americares has adapted by enhancing coordination with local partners, optimizing supply chain logistics, and focusing on urgent medical needs to navigate these challenges effectively.

More than 340 health workers in Gaza and more than 170 staff of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East have been killed, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Most recently, seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed while selflessly working to alleviate suffering in Gaza.

As a humanitarian organization, we believe violence against aid workers cannot be tolerated and more must be done. This is why Americares continues to urgently call for a lasting ceasefire to ensure the safety of civilians and aid workers and allow life-saving operations to resume.

We know the longer the war goes on, the more support will be needed for survivors and frontline responders. Americares is working on a needs assessment to determine how we can do more to help those who have experienced or witnessed horrific violence on the frontlines and the tragic loss of loved ones.