Since the 7th of October, 2023, an Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip in southern Palestine has commenced. During the first three weeks of the aggression, about 8000 casualties were recorded, 40% of whom were children, and around 20,000 injured, in addition to more than 1500 missing under the rubble.
The military bombing was accompanied by a complete cut-off of electricity and water, prevention of food entry, medical supplies, and the fuel necessary for hospitals and vehicles.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health warned of a health disaster, after hospitals turned into shelters accommodating tens of thousands of displaced people, despite an occupancy rate of 170%.
Approximately 50% of the housing units are completely or partially destroyed, and dozens of health workers have been killed, with many hospitals being out of service due to direct or indirect targeting.
Today, there are an estimated 1.4 million internally displaced people in Gaza, living in shelters, UNRWA schools, hospitals, or hosted at their relatives’.
Emergency Response to the Disaster in Gaza
The International Waqf Fund responded quickly to the difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza, through its parent institution, “Islamic Relief Organization in Palestine,” whose team is still present inside the sector.
We provided immediate support of £30,000, from the proceeds of your waqf shares allocated for emergency relief, where Islamic Relief took on the field tasks.
As an initial rapid response, the Islamic Relief team did the following:
- Distributed 930 food baskets in the Central Area, Khan Younis, and Rafah in the south.
- Distributed 4,205 ready-to-eat meals for the displaced in the Central Area, Khan Younis, and Rafah in the south.
- Distributed fresh vegetables to 550 families in the Central Area.
- Provided clean water to 3,000 people within 4 shelters in the Central Area.
- Distributed 1,100 hygiene kits to the displaced in Khan Younis in the south.
Emergency Relief Waqf Share
At the International Waqf Fund, the Emergency Relief Waqf Share is distinguished by providing money throughout the year, ready for immediate use in the event of a disaster.
We invest your donations in investments compliant with Islamic Sharia, and after a year, it begins to yield annual returns. We allocate a portion of the returns to support the Emergency Relief Fund, while the other portion of the returns is reinvested to ensure the growth of the donation year after year.
Thanks to your continuous donations, the fund was ready to support the emergency humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
The disaster in the Gaza Strip has not ended, and it will not end with the cessation of military operations due to the extensive level of destruction, and complete economic and social devastation.
