An update from our ChildFund partners in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

How are children impacted in West Bank and Gaza Strip?

I would like to update you about our current presence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip where we have been operating since 1992, implementing projects in the WASH, health and education sectors.

As you know, the conflict that started last week has been escalating in the last hours with a rising number of casualties, mostly civilians (many women and children among them).

For now the situation shows no sign of improvement; the context is further worsened as the “Gaza cage” is one of the most crowded areas in the world with no possibilities for civilians to escape to safe places.

From the information we are gathering from our colleagues in the Strip people are currently seeking shelter in UNRWA schools with the hope that they will not be targeted, even though at least 5 schools in the last few days have already been damaged by the blasts.

Our office in the Strip is currently closed and so far all our staff are safe in their or their relative’s homes, though as you can imagine the situation is very critical for both them and their families.

Having already experienced similar events in the strip in the past, we are now waiting for a reduction of the attacks in order to start assessing the needs especially in the areas where we are already implementing our projects, in strict coordination with all humanitarian clusters, in order to be able to give immediate support. We will also assess the needs of access to water and public building rehabilitations or reconstruction.  

We have already allocated urgent funds to this emergency which will be used as soon as we will be able to safely operate on the ground again; we hope humanitarian corridors will be open to let goods and materials inside the Strip.

We are also evaluating the launch of an urgent appeal to our private donors.

The hope is still that there will be real and effective international efforts to immediately stop further violence and attacks in the entire area.

We’ll keep you informed about how the situation evolves.

Best,

Dina Taddia
Chief Executive Officer
WeWorld (Member of ChildFund Alliance)