What is the situation on the ground in Gaza?
On March 18, 2025, Israel launched a series of deadly airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, indiscriminately killing 700 Palestinians and wounding 900 others. The strikes hit Gaza in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan, at a time when many people were praying or eating their pre-dawn meals before the day of fasting begins.
This comes after months of attacks against Palestinians and a blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza, even after the “ceasefire” began on January 19, 2025. As of March 20, 2025, over 61,700 Palestinians have been killed, 111,759 injured, and 1.9 million displaced in the Gaza Strip.
Islamic Relief teams are actively assessing the situation on the ground and scaling up efforts to address urgent needs, including medical support, emergency food, and clean water.
What are the urgent needs in Gaza at the moment?
Based on our assessments, the most urgent needs in Gaza are:
- Access to clean drinking water
- Food assistance for displaced families
- Psychosocial support, especially for children who have endured significant trauma
- Temporary shelter for those whose homes has been destroyed
- Medical care for the injured and vulnerable populations
How much money has Islamic Relief spent in Gaza?
As a global family, Islamic Relief has been able to send $42M CAD into Gaza since the escalations began in October 2023. The money is transferred to our implementing partner Islamic Relief Worldwide in the United Kingdom, which is then transferred to Islamic Relief staff in Gaza through local partners.
Our staff in Gaza are using your donations to locally procure food, hygiene supplies, bedding, and any other essential item we can source. They screen and contract local suppliers and partners, who procure either locally or through private trading routes between Gaza and Egypt. With the level of our procurement, donations are routed through wire transfers to their Palestinian bank accounts.
What areas is Islamic Relief working in?
Islamic Relief is presently active in Rafah, Khan Younis, Deir Al Balah, Zawayda, Gaza City and North Gaza. We have recently extended our work in North Gaza to reach Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahya, and Jabaliya.
Our emergency response efforts are being conducted in collaboration with the World Food Program and 6 local partners: some who are distributing humanitarian aid in North Gaza. Each partner is assigned Islamic Relief staff to oversee project implementation.
I have family in Gaza, why can't you help them?
We understand the desire to direct aid to specific individuals, however, to maintain equal access, we are unable to fulfill such requests. We consistently work to diversify our distribution points, ensuring that aid reaches as many people as possible.
It is important to note that no person will be denied aid at our distributions; however, our commitment to equity drives us to prioritize equal access for all. Our focus remains on supporting shelters to the best of our ability and providing assistance through our local partners.
