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Gaza: Protect children, strengthen families

A landscape of rubble in Gaza. In the center of the picture, children playing can be seen in the distance.

Last October, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire. But it is fragile: Israeli rocket attacks continue to claim lives. In the shadow of the ongoing fighting in the region, Gaza has faded from view. Yet the humanitarian situation is dire: Destroyed infrastructure and scarce medical supplies characterize daily life; clean water is scarce and basic necessities are nonexistent. In the central Gaza Strip and Khan Younis, our partner organization, Al-Ard for Agricultural Development, is working to bring about rapid and sustainable improvements in living conditions.

Destroyed city in Gaza
Gaza City is largely destroyed
War-refugee children in a camp in Gaza
Many children live in makeshift refugee camps
Refugee family in Gaza
Resources are scarce, there is no guaranteed basic supply
Scrap collectors in the rubble of Gaza
Many families are collecting metal from the rubble to survive

Together with local people, Al-Ard is working under extremely difficult conditions to alleviate acute suffering and create new opportunities. The project, supported by the Volkswagen Employee Foundation, focuses on immediate, impactful measures: Mobile sanitation facilities improve hygiene in camps for displaced people, while small wells are repaired and powered by solar energy. This ensures a supply of clean drinking water independent of the destroyed energy infrastructure – a crucial step towards stability in daily life.

Another focus is on supporting particularly affected families, including the fishermen in Gaza. Many of them have lost their boats, equipment, and thus their livelihoods. "The fishermen can barely cover their daily needs, but can no longer fish larger quantities. They receive targeted financial assistance and food packages to secure their daily lives and provide for their families," reports Bashir Al-Anqah, who coordinates the project work on site.

Two fishermen and a child on a boat in front of a shipwreck at sea
Many boats were destroyed during the fighting
The fishermen have to improvise in order to be able to do their work
The fishermen have to improvise in order to be able to do their work
What the fishermen catch is only enough for their daily needs
What the fishermen catch is only enough for their daily needs
The families are barely making ends meet and are being supported through the project
The families are barely making ends meet and are being supported through the project

Al-Ard is a Palestinian, community-based organization that, since its founding, has been committed to preserving livelihoods and strengthening local structures. Its approach combines acute emergency relief with long-term support – particularly for families, children, young people, and women suffering from displacement, destroyed infrastructure, and a lack of income opportunities. "The project helps to strengthen the resilience of the people in Gaza," said Bashir Al-Anqah.

With your support, we provide fast, unbureaucratic aid that makes a difference. Access to water, hygiene, and basic necessities gives the people of Gaza new hope and opens up a future for children and their families.

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