Verteilung von Gütern in Gaza
Palestine/Israel

HEKS/EPER supports suffering civilians

Palestine/Israel

15 months of war have led to devastating destruction and catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. Since October 2023, there have been over 46 000 deaths.      HEKS/EPER welcomes the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which came into force on 19th January 2025  and provides for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as Israel's military withdrawal from parts of the Gaza Strip. This could be a first step towards ending the war. It is now crucial that – as stated in the agreement – increased access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip is guaranteed. HEKS/EPER is on the ground  and is expanding its emergency relief as quickly as possible together with its partner organisations.

The situation in the Gaza Strip remains chaotic even after the ceasefire agreement came into force. Healthcare has collapsed in many places, and there is an acute shortage of water, food and medicines . More than a million people are still at risk of hunger. Infectious diseases are spreading at an alarming rate. 

More than 1.9 million people (90% of the population) have been forced to leave their homes. Even now, most people cannot return home, as the vast majority of buildings are destroyed or damaged. They are seeking refuge wherever they can find it; in community centers , provisory shelters, or damaged houses. The distribution of relief supplies remains a major challenge.

Humanitarian response 

Despite these challenges, HEKS/EPER continues to work tirelessly for the suffering civilian population. HEKS/EPER has been working in the Gaza Strip since 2006 and was therefore able to quickly launch life-saving emergency programs after the outbreak of hostilities. Our staff in Gaza work in extremely difficult conditions. They, too, have been displaced several times. The HEKS/EPER office in the Gaza Strip is currently located in Deir El Balah.

Since the beginning of the war, HEKS/EPER has been supporting the displaced civilian population in the Gaza Strip by providing clay ovens for baking bread, water, hygiene kits, cash assistance, agricultural supplies, shelter kits   and a hotline for psychosocial and medical counselling, as well as psychological support for traumatised people. In collaboration with local partner organisations, we have already been able to provide cash assistance to 1460 vulnerable Gazan households which supported them to access their basic needs such as food, water and medicines.

Currently, 485 families are receiving building materials such as tarpaulins and ropes to build makeshift shelters or to improve existing ones. In addition, the families are receiving mattresses, blankets and cash assistance to purchase urgently needed everyday items.

Notunterkunft in Gaza

Expansion of relief efforts thanks to ceasefire

Now that the ceasefire agreement has come into force, we and our partner organisations are scaling up our emergency response as quickly as possible. Since then, we have already been able to enter six trucks  full of relief supplies into the Gaza Strip. The delivery of further goods is currently being coordinated with the authorities. We plan to distribute more non-food items that can be used to improve the structure of makeshift shelters. This will provide warmth, privacy and protection  to   an additional 330 households. These families will also receive cash assistance to cover their basic needs. 
 

We are currently assessing the situation in the northern Gaza Strip. The need for humanitarian support there is enormous and HEKS/EPER will expand its emergency relief there as soon as the situation allows.

In the West Bank and Israel, the escalation of violence has continued since the ceasefire agreement. HEKS/EPER and its partner organ isations continue to support communities there that have been displaced or are particularly affected by the ongoing escalation of violence. HEKS/EPER is also strengthening the civil initiatives of its Israeli and Palestinian partner organisations that are working to end the spiral of violence and protect the rights of all people.

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