UK charity announces two deployment teams to deliver aid to Gaza

London: In response to the news of a ceasefire in Gaza and pause in hostilities, with the release of both Israeli and Palestinian hostages; Saraya Hussain, Managing Director for humanitarian charity ISRA-UK, said:

“We welcome news of a ceasefire promising to bring a pause in Israel’s hostilities towards the Palestinian people, which we hope will lead to a permanent end to the war on Gaza.

“This ceasefire agreement is announced in the wake of 46,000 Palestinians having been brutally killed by Israeli military forces over the last 14 months, and at least 93% of homes in the Gaza Strip destroyed or damaged. While the international community aims to help rebuild lives in the territory, for millions of displaced Gazans there are no families to reunite with and no homes to return to.

“The population of Gaza is on the brink of famine with next to no access to a health system or sanitary living conditions, largely due to Israel’s crippling of an already fragile aid delivery network. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed back into Gaza.

“As a charity that has worked in Palestine for over four decades and in the Gaza Strip since the 2007 blockade, we hope ISRA-UK will soon be able to operate unhindered so we are able to set out a recovery plan with our NGO partners on the ground.

“During 2023 and 2024, we packed and delivered seven 40ft truckloads of essential aid from Egypt to Gaza, which included hygiene kits, food packs, flour, bedding, clothes and sanitary items. Inside Gaza, our teams also prepared and distributed vital aid and sustenance to those in need; but this has become increasingly difficult with access routes blocked and local prices of essential goods rising astronomically.

“In light of the latest ceasefire, we will be deploying two fundraising groups to Cairo to prepare and pack emergency aid (food and sanitary items) for transport into neighbouring Gaza, and encourage anyone wishing to join us to get in touch.”

Habib Mohammed, Operations Manager for ISRA-UK, said:

“Up until September last year, we were still able to deliver limited aid via the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Palestine, but Israeli restrictions and subsequent closure of this entry point has severely incapacitated our ability to do so.

“The targeting of humanitarian teams compounds the suffering of civilians in Gaza. As a result, we have lost staff members in Gaza and have on occasion had to temporarily suspend our delivery of much-needed aid.

“Lack of aid access has left Palestinians forced together in overcrowded refugee camps with little food or water, many more of them dying as a result. Israel needs to lift these restrictions and allow the flow of aid to resume immediately.”