What is the situation on the ground in Gaza?
A temporary ceasefire is currently in place after nearly 500 days of destruction and death at the hands of Israel. As of March 6 2025, over 48,346 Palestinians have been killed, 111,759 injured, and 1.9 million displaced in the Gaza Strip.
While a ceasefire has been declared, the situation in Gaza remains unstable. Many families are returning to neighbourhoods that are no longer recognizable—homes and essential infrastructure are almost entirely destroyed. Alhamdulilah, people are reuniting with their loved ones, but the path to recovery will take time.
Islamic Relief teams are actively assessing the situation on the ground and scaling up efforts to address urgent needs. The ceasefire is a step forward, but it is not a resolution. It’s the beginning of a long process to rebuild lives and restore hope.
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 are we helping Gaza post-ceasefire? When will the long-term recovery efforts begin?
Alhamdulillah, Islamic Relief has already begun expanding its support as the ceasefire takes effect. Our team are on the ground,
- Clearing rubble to make neighborhoods safer and more accessible.
- Scaling up hot meal distribution and drinking water supplies, especially in northern communities in Gaza.
- Providing education and psychosocial support to children and their families, helping them recover emotionally and academically.
In this past week alone, the Islamic Relief team reached thousands of Palestinians with:
🍲 Over 178,000 daily hot meals
🚰 300,000 litres of clean water
🧣 Winter clothes and thermal blankets to 2,834 individuals
🧼 Cleaning services and hygiene essentials to 12,292 individuals
💵 Multi-purpose cash grants to 237 families
❤️🩹 Therapy and psychosocial programming to 151 households
🎒 Educational programming to 830 students ages 6-18
Long-term recovery efforts, such as rebuilding homes, schools, and critical infrastructure, will begin as the situation stabilizes. Plans are also underway to support livelihoods through cash-for-work programs and sustainable development initiatives.
How much money has Islamic Relief spent in Gaza?
As a global family, Islamic Relief has been able to send $41M 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.
How is your donation making a difference now that the violence has deescalated?
Your donation is not just providing relief—it’s a lifeline to families navigating unimaginable loss and devastation. Right now, it’s doing everything from helping us clear rubble from streets to making neighbourhoods safer and more accessible.
It’s ensuring families have access to necessities, and most importantly, it is reaching the children, bringing them comfort and healing through psychosocial support and safe spaces to learn and play again.
More than that, your donation is an act of solidarity, reminding the people of Gaza that they are not forgotten.
What areas is Islamic Relief working in?
Islamic Relief is presently active in Rafah, Khan Younis, Deir Al Balah, Zawayda, and North Gaza. We are extending 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: two specifically distributing hot meals 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.
