How can I help?

How can I help?

Together we can make a difference

Understanding the Current Situation in Gaza

Current Situation in Gaza

Life for Civilians

  • Economic Collapse: The blockade and ongoing conflict have shut down local sources of income, and people have exhausted any personal savings they had. Banks are closed, preventing traditional money transfers, leaving Gazans financially isolated.

  • Scarcity and High Prices: Essential goods have become nearly unaffordable: [Prices fluctuate based on the state of the crossings] [Sources are from people on the ground and some youtube channels]

    • Southern Gaza prices [Prices vary between Rafah and parts closer to netzarim crossing] [Prices in the north are x2~x3 times]: Updated, Dec, 6th 2024
      • A bag of Flour: $300
      • Chicken $15/kg
      • Veggies (per kg)
        • Tomatoes: $25+
        • Potatoes: $20+
        • Onions: $20+
        • Mlookhya: $10
        • Zucchini: $8+
        • Eggplants: $10+
        • Cucumbers: $3+
        • Bell pepper: $5+
      • Eggs: $3/egg
      • Sugar: $30/kg
      • Rice $20/kg
      • Lentils $8/kg
      • 1 liter of fuel: $30+
      • Canned food items (Fava beans, chickpeas, corn, etc..) $0.80~$1
      • Other essentials like hygiene items, baby formula/milk, women hygiene products are priced beyond the reach of most people.
      • Many families lean heavily on cheaper food items like Lentils, bread, za'tar and canned food to survive.

  • Your money can go a long way:

    • For $200 you can provide sustenance for a family of 6 for 1~2 weeks
    • For $200 you can provide enough water for a school sheltering ~3000 refugees.

  • Water and Sanitation: Bombings have damaged water purification plants, leaving only two operational. These stations rely on seawater to provide purified drinking water, but access is extremely limited. For other needs, saltwater is used due to a lack of clean water.

  • Medical Shortages: Medicines are scarce and often sold on the streets by unlicensed individuals, raising serious health risks.

Refugee Camps and Living Conditions

  • North and South Gaza: As displacement continues, the south, where refugee tents are set up, is overwhelmed with over one million people moving southward. Conditions are severely overcrowded, with many people sheltered only in tents.
  • Basic Needs: Refugees urgently need proper shelters, winter clothing, and food supplies. The estimated cost to sustain an entire tent camp is around $100,000.

Aid Challenges and Distribution

Aid Entry Points and Scarcity [ALL CROSSINGS ARE CLOSED SINCE THE START OF OCTOBER 2024]

  • Restricted Entry of Goods: Only the Karam Abu Salem crossing allows limited aid and commercial trucks to enter Gaza, inspected by the IDF. This daily inflow of around 50 trucks is far from sufficient (compared to 300 trucks before the conflict).
  • Market Dynamics: Markets within Gaza rely on:
    • Air-dropped international aid.
    • Aid from organizations like the World Food Programme.

Challenges in Aid Distribution

  • Lack of Security: The absence of local governance has led to disorder in aid distribution. Many items are stolen and resold at high prices.
  • Favoritism: Due to a lack of oversight, aid often reaches those with personal connections ("واسطة" and "محسوبية"), while the most vulnerable remain underserved.
  • Artificial Scarcity: Merchants, especially those with resources, are accused of holding back supplies to inflate prices, making essential goods even more inaccessible to regular citizens.

Methods of Financial Support

Transferring Money into Gaza

  • Bank Transfers: Despite the closure of most banks, funds can still reach Gaza through the Bank of Palestine, though international restrictions make these transfers difficult.
    • Bank Information Required:
      • Account HolderName
      • Account
      • Bank Name: Bank of Palestine
      • Swift Code: PALSPS22
  • Currency Exchange System: For those with balances inside Gaza but no access, outsiders can provide funds in exchange for the local release of equivalent amounts to recipients within Gaza. [This is the main way for funds to make it into Gaza]

Using Donations Effectively

  • Direct Purchases: Donations are pooled to purchase locally available products at market prices, which are then distributed to those who can't afford these inflated costs.
  • Documentation and Accountability: Some donation channels provide transparent documentation, assuring donors that aid reaches the intended beneficiaries. Reliable channels like غزة المعجزةoffer such tracking for accountability.

Local Resilience and Initiatives

Agriculture in Conflict

Despite war conditions, some Gazans continue to grow essential crops like Mlookhya (which has a fast-growing cycle) to help sustain the population.

Water Initiatives

With the destruction of water purification plants, only two stations remain functional, managed by local organizations like Abd al-Salam Yaseen, to provide fresh drinking water.

Important Considerations for Donors

  • Documentation: Many channels provide proof of donation to ensure your support reaches those in need.
  • Verification: Choose verified channels to avoid funds being diverted or profited from by local merchants. (all of the channels provided in our list are from Gazan citizens who livestream their dialy life and document the initiatives they execute on the ground)
  • Essential Supplies: Demand for basics like water, food, medicine, and shelter items is highest. Any support toward these essentials can provide critical relief to refugees and displaced people.