A child in the arms of a Red Crescent volunteer

Famine in Gaza is imminent

Famine in Gaza is imminent

People in Gaza are facing the threat of starvation after months of violence and destruction. Now, a famine threatens unless more emergency aid is delivered. Donate now and help us save lives.

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Six months since the conflict escalated in Gaza, the situation remains severe. Half a year of unimaginable suffering where families have been torn apart, homes destroyed, and thousands of people have died.

We have been on the ground aiding those affected by the conflict in Gaza and the surrounding area from the very beginning – and we will never leave. Donate now and save lives.

Donate monthly

As a regular monthly donor, you help people affected by the conflict in Gaza and the surrounding area, as well as those affected by disasters worldwide, all year round.

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Your donation can provide:

  • 250 SEK is enough for lifesaving emergency care for a person injured in conflict.
  • 262 SEK is enough for a food package that can feed an entire family for two days. The shortage of food is severe in Gaza. We distribute food packages containing meals that are ready to eat.
  • 340 SEK is enough for a healthcare package for our ambulance paramedics, who save lives every day. The healthcare package includes medical equipment, pain relief and medicine for five people.
  • 764 SEK is enough for a baby package. Babies are especially vulnerable to diseases and dirty water. The baby package includes items such as wet wipes, diapers, soap, underwear, pyjamas, and a baby blanket.

People also lack fuel and clean water, which leads to the easy spread of diseases. Since the violence escalated in October, 30,000 people have died. An additional 73,000 have been injured, many of them women and children.

– The civilians are carrying the heaviest burden of what is happening. Children and adults are walking south through Gaza seeking help. You can see the fear in their faces. People's lives are shattered, their homes destroyed, says our colleague William Schomburg, on the ground at one of the few hospitals still operational in Gaza, where the Red Cross is doing everything to save lives.

Three out of four people in Gaza no longer have homes. Their homes are destroyed, and many have sought refuge in Rafah in southern Gaza, where the overcrowding is severe today.

The future is uncertain for many

Life is full of challenges for people like Amr Ali and his family. When they fled from northern Gaza, they lost contact with each other. After more than twelve hours of worry, they were reunited in a camp near Rafah. They now live in a tent there, and there is a severe shortage of food, water and other essentials.

Many families who have fled are living like Amr Ali's in temporary tent camps, without knowing anything about the future and when something resembling a normal life will be possible again in Gaza.

Volunteers fall victim to the violence

In early February, we received the tragic news that two more of our colleagues, ambulance drivers in Gaza, had been killed along with a six-year-old girl they were trying to save. In total, 17 of our colleagues in Palestine and Israel have fallen victim since the conflict escalated in October, along with thousands of mothers, daughters, and brothers.

The international humanitarian law is crystal clear. Civilians and aid workers must never be attacked.

The wreckage of a Palestine Red Crescent ambulance.

The situation in Gaza is unbearable

The food shortage is becoming more and more severe in Gaza. People are hungry and forced to eat leaves and animal feed. If more emergency aid does not arrive soon, famine threatens families already living under horrific conditions, fleeing violence and death. The humanitarian needs in Gaza are extremely urgent.

The humanitarian needs in Gaza are growing

The Red Cross's ambulances and paramedics have provided emergency care to over 17,700 people in Gaza. Additionally, 12,000 people have received psychological first aid. Fourteen camps have been set up, providing shelter to over 28,000 people.

We have ensured that over 5,600 trucks of emergency aid have been able to enter Gaza.

– People lack food, electricity, and water. Hospital supplies are running out, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for healthcare services to function. We stand prepared to help even more, but safe routes must be guaranteed to reach those in need, says William Schomburg.

Here's how we are helping on the ground in Gaza:

  • Thousands of volunteers are assisting in the lifesaving efforts.
  • We provide first aid, operate ambulances, and ensure that injured people are taken to hospitals.
  • We run hospitals.
  • We assist people who need to be evacuated from their homes.
  • We distribute food, clean water, and water purification tablets.
  • Mattresses, blankets and hygiene kits from our supplies have been distributed to thousands of families

Civilians must never be attacked

We urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law.

  • Aid workers on the ground in Gaza must be protected and not be targeted under any circumstances.
  • We are deeply concerned about the call for civilians to leave their homes in northern Gaza.
  • Our volunteers must be protected so that they can protect others. We will not abandon those who need the help the most.
  • For us to be able to assist affected people, aid must be able to arrive safely. Humanitarian organizations must be granted access.
  • The warring parties must ensure that civilians have shelter, food, medical care, water, the ability to maintain hygiene, and safety. If the parties cannot provide this, humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need.
  • We urge all parties to follow the international humanitarian law and protect civilians. These rules exist to protect humanity in the darkest of times. There is a desperate need for them to be followed today.

We help in both Palestine and Israel

The Red Cross is a neutral and impartial organisation. We help affected people, regardless of who they are and where they come from. During the recent conflict and escalating violence, we have assisted in both Palestine and Israel. In Israel, our colleagues have provided care and operated ambulances, among other services. We continue to provide humanitarian support to all those in need.

Facts about Gaza

  • The Gaza Strip is located along the Mediterranean border with Egypt and borders Israel to the north and east.
  • Population: 2.1 million (2023). Nearly half live in refugee camps.
  • Area: 363 km² (140 square miles)