As with all crises in this world, the true solutions are long-term. That means the aid needs to be, too. And as man-made and natural disasters strike, the victims of those disasters need immediate aid before they can worry about long-term aid. One step forward at a time is all they can take — all we can take, too. Such is the case in Palestine — especially Gaza.
In less than six weeks since Oct. 7, 2023, more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 4,500 children. And those are only the ones whose bodies have been found and counted. As a Zakat Foundation of America staffer writes this, Palestinian infrastructure to report the death toll had already collapsed days prior as hospitals have been targeted. Hospitals serve as key locations for formally processing the dead — at least, those who have been brought in from beneath the rubble.
For generations, Palestinians have been pushed into poverty, their access to basic necessities limited. In Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinians face food insecurity, inadequate health care, restricted movement and more. But in Gaza at the moment, there is hardly any food left, as people are surviving off just a piece of bread a day, or a couple dates. Health care has gone from inadequate to dangerous as doctors have been forced to operate without sterile equipment, without anesthetics, without electricity, and sometimes on the floor. They have no way out.
Although aid is limited, it is still entering. Zakat Foundation of America has been delivering warm meals and food with a goal of giving 1 million meals to Palestinians in Gaza. And this is not new for the organization. Zakat Foundation of America has been delivering vital assistance to Gaza and the West Bank since the organization’s inception in 2001. The humanitarian nonprofit’s Emergency Relief initiatives have provided life-saving aid in the current disaster and in previous ones.
Zakat Foundation of America has empowered families in Gaza and bolstered their livelihoods through greenhouse farming projects. It has repaired and reconstructed damaged homes in Gaza. It helped provide affordable drinking water through its agriculture program, which also went toward raising livestock animals. In Gaza, the organization’s health and wellness program has covered the costs of live-saving treatment for pediatric cancer patients. It ensured they received nutritious meals to help them in their most challenging times.
And amid all this, Zakat Foundation of America has supported orphaned, vulnerable children, offering access to education, health care, food security and more.
At a time when all aid is critical, the most immediate survival needs must be met if there’s any hope of providing long-term aid. Join the Caravan of Hope in bringing 1 million meals to Palestinians in Gaza.