THE SITUATION
Over two million Palestinians are suffering a manmade humanitarian crisis in Gaza, caused by Israel’s siege and the deliberate obstruction of aid, fueled by the inaction of world leaders.
More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Millions are trapped under intensive bombardments without adequate shelter, healthcare, water or food. The entire population teeters on the brink of famine.
As is the case in any crisis, women and girls are bearing the brunt of this emergency.
-When food is scarce, women and girls often eat last and least
-Women are three times more likely to miscarry and three times more likely to die in childbirth compared to pre-conflict rates
-Women and girls who are menstruating lack the sanitary supplies they need due to the blockade on hygiene items
-One in three pregnancies are now high-risk, and one in five newborns are born preterm or underweight
This crisis is not caused by a shortage of aid—it’s caused by deliberate efforts to stop aid from getting to those in need. The Israeli Government put the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in charge of the distribution of food. This system is unprincipled, unsafe, undignified—and failing.
Where there were once over 400 distribution sites across Gaza coordinated by the U.N., there are now just four. Many people are too weak to make the long journey through active conflict zones in hopes of securing some of the little food that’s available. And even if they can, they risk being shot in the process.
This deliberate obstruction and weaponization of humanitarian aid is fundamentally at odds with international laws. United Nations Member States, including Canada, have a responsibility to intervene when war crimes are committed, but the response has been hesitant and inadequate.
With decisive action from governments, donors, and humanitarians, and the continued resilience of Palestinians in Gaza, we can prevent further death, end this catastrophe, and re-establish the global laws and norms that protect us all.
HOW WE ARE RESPONDING
CARE has worked in Gaza since 1948, and we have trusted and well-established local partnerships across the region. We provide health, nutrition and hygiene support, shelter and protection in Gaza.
Between the start of the war to the beginning of the blockade, CARE and our local partners reached over 930,000 people with water, food, shelter items and medical support in the West Bank and Gaza.
We remain ready to scale-up our response to provide life-saving aid—but to do so, we need a permanent ceasefire and full, unhindered access to supplies.
Today, despite the challenging conditions, our staff and partners continue to operate a healthcare centre and mobile health clinics and distribute clean water.
