A Message to the Community from NGOs in Gaza

In recognition of the need for NGOs to increase engagement with the community in Gaza, including increasing transparency and accountability, a coalition of Palestinian NGOs and International NGOs presents the below joint message:

Firstly, we would like to convey our deep appreciation to the people of Gaza for their continued willingness to engage with NGOs, ensuring we understand where humanitarian needs are the highest, enabling us to understand the challenges you are facing, and for ensuring our safety in the community.

NGOs recognize that the protection of civilians in Gaza is paramount. On a daily basis, we are undertaking continuous advocacy through all available channels to us, calling for a ceasefire, calling for the opening of all the crossings, and calling for an end to the violence against civilians and civilian infrastructure, alongside calling for the end of forceful transfers of people. We continue to demand action from the international community to protect civilians, and to highlight the scale of humanitarian needs in Gaza.

We understand that people in Gaza need more than just humanitarian aid, and the ability of the private sector to function effectively is critical. We have been repeatedly calling for solutions to the cash liquidity emergency, and for commercial supplies to be permitted to enter all areas of Gaza without restrictions. NGOs also understand the need to increase Palestinian self-reliance through more education and livelihood opportunities, and this is something many of us are working on developing.

As NGOs, we are deeply frustrated that we are still not able to meet all of the humanitarian needs of the community in Gaza, which continue to surge in this extreme and worsening emergency. We are working every single day trying to address these challenges.

Among the biggest issues that we are facing:

We are still not being permitted to bring in aid supplies in the quantities or varieties needed. We are continually prohibited from entering critically needed humanitarian items, including medication, assistive devices, and agricultural products, alongside other critically needed items. While we can bring in some trucks, we are not being allowed to bring in anywhere near enough. We still experience major delays, denials, and limitations on the amount of aid that can be brought in through all of Gaza’s land borders.

We continue to advocate for the reopening of the Rafah crossing, alongside all crossing points into all of Gaza, and the lifting of any limits set on how much aid can cross through these each day. We are calling, in particular, for the urgent expedition of winterisation supplies, including tarpaulins, sealing off kits and shelter items, alongside essential medical supplies and assisted devices.

We are still not being permitted to move aid supplies safely within Gaza. For most of the aid supplies coming into Gaza, we are only permitted to use the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, but we are not being enabled to collect this aid safely. We suffer recurrent looting of aid supplies, and this means not all aid is reaching the people who need it most, and some of it is instead being sold in markets, rather than distributed as intended. We continue to advocate to be allowed to collect aid safely, and to be permitted to use all available roads and routes, which Israeli forces currently prohibit us from doing.

How NGOs are prioritising who receives aid:

As we do not have enough aid supplies to meet your needs, we normally prioritise based on either eligibility criteria (those who the aid is most relevant for), or on vulnerability criteria (women-headed households, children, those with disabilities, the elderly, etc.).

We are continually working to ensure that the limited aid that we can get into Gaza reaches those who need it the very most. This is not always possible, especially given the security environment, as well as there being so many eligible and vulnerable community members that we cannot meet all needs.

NGOs are keen to ensure greater transparency, and meaningful engagement with the community in Gaza. We recognise we need to improve this. Each NGO has their own feedback and engagement mechanism, so you can reach out to any of us directly. In addition, a coalition of international and Palestinian NGOs are also working to increase our two-way dialogue with you to improve our collective engagement and accountability through engagement with Gazan civil society organizations. Our intention is to ensure your voices are being amplified, and that we can ensure we are advocating loudly for your needs, your rights, and your dignity.

With sincere appreciation and respect,
A coalition of Palestinian and International NGOs operating in Gaza, facilitated by PNGO and AIDA.

Specific NGO signatories include:

• Welthungerhilfe
• Care International Organisation
• Global Communities
• Premiere Urgence Internationale
• Norwegian People’s Aid
• Japan International Volunteer Center
• Middle East Children’s Alliance MECA
• Caritas Jerusalem
• Oxfam
• Solidarités International
• Project Hope
• Save the Children
• Dan Chruch Aid/ Norwegian Church Aid
• Norwegian Refugee Council
• Action Against Hunger
• HEKS/EPER (Swiss Church Aid)
• Humanity & Inclusion
• INARA
• CESVI
• UAWC
• GCMHP
• LRC Gaza
• SDF
• RAFDA
• Maan Development Center
• Dr.Haider Abdel Shafi Center
• Right to lives Society
• PARC
• Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children
• Scince & Culture Center
• Kotof el -Khair Health and Community Association
• Women’s Programs Center Association
• UHCC
• Baitona
• CFTA
• AlDammer for Human right
• IRC