The Israeli military assault on Gaza, which began 7 July 2014 and lasted seven weeks, was one of the worst attacks on Gaza in recent years and has taken the lives of over 2,200 Palestinians, of whom one quarter were children.
Several new emergency response projects then began in succession including providing support to key health services (in form of medical supplies and disposables) as well as supporting fishermen’s families with emergency food packs.
We also provided urgent support to 1,382 families of fishermen located in Gaza city, north Gaza, middle areas of Gaza and Khan Younis and Rafah in south Gaza who were already living in very poor conditions prior to the conflict due to the fishing zone restrictions imposed by Israel. These limit the areas the fishermen can fish in and so reduce their catch and the cash they make from it. These fishermen are amongst those hardest hit by the prolonged siege on Gaza. During the assault, they were unable to sail or fish for more than 50 days and the military strikes also damaged and destroyed their boats, fishing nets and equipment, losing their sole means of income. To support them, we provided emergency family food parcels containing essential items such as rice, canned minced meat, pasta, sugar and olive oil. This was the first aid they had ever received and they were both relieved and overwhelmed.
Through the Palestine Emergency Appeal we launched and additional grants received we were able to provide emergency support to a further 3095 badly affected families who were either displaced or their homes and belongings badly damaged. The families received rechargeable light sets, winter clothes for children and blankets; especially important now as winter begins and temperatures drop.
There are still many vulnerable families in Gaza who have lost their homes, have been injured, lost family members and are struggling to secure their basic food needs and necessary health services. If you would like to help support these families please click here
Please help us to provide families with warm blankets, winter clothes and Covid-19 hygiene kits to protect them from winter illnesses and coronavirus.
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