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¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ has warmly welcomed the ceasefire that has been negotiated between Israel and Hamas and is ready to play its part in the rebuilding of lives, in Gaza. The ceasefire, which started on Sunday 19th January 2025, is a desperately needed breakthrough that is long overdue, offering genuine hope for families and communities who have suffered so much and endured unimaginable loss. We pray that the peace and relief Palestinians crave is finally within reach.

Since 7^th October 2023, 46,707 Palestinians have been killed and over 109,000 have been wounded. Nearly 70% of those killed have been women and children. Nearly 1.9 million people in Gaza have been displaced multiple times, with mass destruction of civilian property and infrastructure. Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure has been severely damaged in the conflict, with 97% of water now unfit for human consumption.

¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ has been working in Gaza since 2007 and throughout the last 15 months of bombardment and hostilities. With the help of our UN partners, including the World Food Programme (WFP), nearly five million meals have been provided through a combination of hot cooked meals and food parcels offering a lifeline to some of Gaza’s most vulnerable people, including women and children, older people and individuals with disabilities.

Those that are being supported include the Azab family, who are sheltering in the ruins of their family home. After being displaced multiple times, they finally returned home as a last resort. The sole breadwinner, Suliman, used to work at an ice cream factory, but since it was bombed the family relies solely on humanitarian aid. ÌýSuliman’s four children, the youngest only six years old, now spend their days waiting in line for water and food. ‘There is no other choice. If they don’t, we will not eat,’ explains Suliman. ‘The war exposed my family to the hunger and degradation that I worked my life to protect them from.’Ìý

¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ is currently working to establish three desalination plants at UN schools in Gaza. This large-scale £690,000 project, on course for completion within the next few months, will provide 30,000 people with a reliable supply of safe water daily. Unfortunately, theÌýharsh winter weather has brought a new wave of difficulty for Gazans, including some babies losing their lives to the cold. We are providing shelter as well as £500,000 worth of warm clothing to 20,000 children during our current winter appeal.

¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ would like to extend its warmest gratitude to its supporters for their continuous donations, nearing £9 million and providing essential relief in a multitude of areas. We are also grateful to our partners on the ground, who have had to work in immensely difficult conditions, risking their lives to ensure that relief reaches the population in Gaza.

We must recognise that the journey to healing and rebuilding Gaza has only just begun. For many, the war has not only been about the brutal bombing and violence, but also the lack of access to basic rights, such as food, clean water and medical care. The risk of famine and mass starvation remains a real danger in the occupied territory, with an estimated 2.2 million people still facing high levels of acute food insecurity and on average receiving only three litres of water per person each day, well below what the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends.

Now that the ceasefire has begun, 600 truckloads of vital aid should now enter Gaza daily, with half reaching the north, where the need is greatest. As part of this rebuilding process, ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ will continue to provide hot meals and food parcels through its partner organisation the World Food Programme, including the whole of the holy month of Ramadan, which will contribute towards feeding over a million people in the next three months. Donations will also continue providing clean water and wheat flour to bread bakeries in the Gaza strip to provide thousands of loaves of bread to the most vulnerable. Ìý

Yasrab Shah, ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Fundraising Director said; ‘We welcome the news of a ceasefire, and we pray for lasting peace for the people of Gaza as they begin to rebuild their lives after a horrific 15 months of pain and loss. We pledge our commitment to continue facilitating our donors as they provide ongoing support through their incredible generosity. With our chosen UN partners, our efforts on the ground will continue and therefore we urge our supporters to keep their donations coming – your donations are a real lifeline and are the difference between life and death for some people.’

ENDS

Notes to editors
To donate to our Gaza Emergency appeal click here or call our call centre team on (0115) 9117222.
Contact Press Officer Sahirah Javaid for spokesperson availability for interviews – 07736344899.

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