For humanitarian workers, it's not uncommon to respond to emergencies in active conflict zones--whether in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and many other places.
Every response during a time of conflict has its challenges. But even with the pause in fighting in Gaza in late November, everything about the humanitarian response there has been exceptionally challenging.
While the ability of Humanitarian Coalition members to operate in Gaza shifted dramatically due to the fighting, our local partners have been heroically trying still to help those in greatest need.
For them, that meant dodging bombs and bullets to reach people with aid--and doing it on foot since there is almost no fuel for trucks to deliver the assistance.
It meant struggling through bombed out buildings and streets to reach shelters where displaced and traumatized children needed urgent mental health support.
It meant seeing their own family members killed or injured, yet still doing what they could to help others.
It meant being excited to find a vendor who could provide needed items, only to learn the next day he'd been killed by an airstrike.
It meant seeking safety themselves in an overcrowded shelter, and often not being able to shower or tend to their own personal needs for weeks.
That was the situation facing these brave aid workers, according to a recent update from Save the Children Canada, a member of the Humanitarian Coalition.
"Our colleagues in Gaza have no food and barely enough water to survive the day," Save the Children Canada said. "They tell us their ability to do their jobs is being stretched to its limits."
For that reason, the Humanitarian Coalition is calling for the release of hostages, respect for international humanitarian law, and an immediate long-term ceasefire and cessation of hostilities--the pause is good, but it needs to be made permanent.
At the same time, we are grateful for the work of our members, who have been responding to needs in Gaza since before the latest round of fighting. Working with their local partners, they are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances.
This includes Action Against Hunger, which has distributed 5,200 liters of drinking water and food in Gaza City and provided cash assistance through existing financial service providers.
Canadian Lutheran World Relief distributed food packs to 16,000 people and water to 18,000 people.
CARE Canada distributed 67,000 liters of drinking water benefiting 8,800 individuals, 3,050 hygiene kits impacting 18,300 individuals and emergency medical supplies to hospital for 14,000 people.
Islamic Relief Canada distributed a range of food-related items including 9,773 food parcels, 3,870 food vouchers and 289,746 ready-to-eat meals. It also provided 12,906 hygiene kits and non-food items for 7,867 households, water for 16,404 people, 2,274,000 medical items and psychosocial support to 16,221 children.
Oxfam Canada and Oxfam Québec provided multi-purpose cash assistance to 417 households, distributed 400 hygiene kits and 1,000 food kits.
Save the Children Canada distributed 3,125 food parcels, 500 hygiene kits, 500 dignity kits and 90,130 litres of water, along with cash assistance to 972 households in Gaza and cash assistance and recreational kits to 46 recently displaced families in the West Bank.
World Vision provided cash assistance to 1,023 displaced people in the West Bank, along with first aid kits to 33 health clinics and 91 villages.
We are grateful that small amounts of aid have been getting to people who need it. But it remains very little when you consider the enormous needs in Gaza--needs that a short pause cannot possibly meet.
If the fighting resumes as before, it will become very dangerous again for our members' local partners. But they will continue to provide aid as they dodge bombs and bullets to help people in need.
To make sure vital aid is distributed, we need a complete stop to the fighting now--for those who have lost everything and for the safety of aid workers.
Richard Morgan,
Executive Director of the Humanitarian Coalition
-30-
For media inquiries, contact us at 647-517-4563 or media@humanitariancoalition.ca
The Humanitarian Coalition (HC) brings together leading aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to donate during large-scale humanitarian emergencies. The HC also partners with Global Affairs Canada to enable its member agencies to respond to lesser-known small and medium-scale disasters.