JUZOOR IN GAZA: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE AND IMPACT REPORT
CONTEXT
October 7 saw the start of distressing escalations in the Palestinian territories, notably marked by the initiation of an aggressive military campaign by Israel on the Gaza Strip from air, land, and sea. Nearly four months later, Israeli attacks have resulted in the tragic loss of more than 26,000 Palestinian lives, majority of whom are women and children, and the complete destruction of most of the region and its infrastructure. More than 1.9 million people have been displaced, many of whom have had to move more than once and the majority of whom have evacuated to the South, an area first redeemed as a safe zone but now overcrowded and under fire. UNRWA school shelters, now hosting thousands of displaced individuals beyond their capacities, are reporting devastating conditions and disease outbreaks. Virtually every service, location, and sector in Gaza has been hit and is on the brink of collapse, with the healthcare system being the most fragile. Many incidents of attacks on hospitals, ambulances, medical centers, and healthcare workers have been reported, and more than 90 health facilities and 80 ambulances have been affected since the start of the war. There are currently only 14 of 36 hospitals that are partially functioning, and all lack medical supplies and health personnel. All kinds of resources are depleted and scarce, including food, water, medical supplies and medications, fuel, and power. Currently, more than 95% of the people in the world who are suffering from hunger and famine are in Gaza. It is likely that more people will die in the next few months due to disease and hunger than the direct impacts of war.
OVERVIEW
Since the start of this war, Juzoor has positioned itself on the frontline, taking charge of shelters in various areas across the Gaza Strip and covering all their basic needs. So far, we have taken charge of 44 shelters in the North and Middle areas along with 10 in the South, hosting more than 200,000 displaced individuals. These shelters are provided with any and all of the health and psychosocial services conducted by our teams, as well as humanitarian aid such as food and non-food items, water, fuel, medical supplies and consumables, and even cash assistance. However, the nature of our work in the South is different from that in the North, due to the areas beyond closed from each other and the restriction and instability in the North. It's worth mentioning that Juzoor is among the very few organizations still operating in the North of Gaza to provide services and aid.