In the last two years alone in Gaza, one in ten Palestinians has been killed or injured. Israel’s deliberate aid blockade has engineered a famine. Nearly 90 percent of homes, schools and water infrastructure now lie damaged or destroyed. Just last month, our colleagues in Palestine told us that children in Gaza are being bitten by rats in their sleep.
The living conditions are unimaginable. Two million people are being forced to live among rubble, sewage, uncollected waste, and collapsing sanitation systems. Documented cases of skin diseases, including scabies and chickenpox, tripled between January and March alone.
A public health crisis, hitting women the hardest
Women face particular challenges during emergencies. From the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and safe shelter to the increased risk of gender-based violence, their needs are often overlooked. Additionally, women carry the responsibility of caring for others.
A mother of three, Faten, told us that basic hygiene has become a luxury and their fear for their children’s health is constant. “The shortage of cleaning supplies, disinfectant and essential health materials has made it nearly impossible to maintain even minimal standards of cleanliness,” she said. “Women are left trying to protect their families with almost nothing.”
“Without access to pesticides and proper sanitation resources, the spread of infestation continues unchecked, leaving the health risk and daily suffering. The crisis is not just about discomfort, it’s about dignity, health and survival. Women are carrying the burden silently managing households under extreme conditions, while dealing with stress, exhaustion and the emotional weight of seeing their living conditions deteriorate day by day.”
How is ActionAid providing relief with aid access restrictions?
Despite the overwhelming challenges, ActionAid’s team in Palestine and our partners in Gaza are working hard to deliver assistance to people in need.
ActionAid Palestine is a locally-led organisation that has staff in Gaza and the West Bank who work with long-term, trusted partners to provide relief items to people in need. These partners provide a range of humanitarian assistance such as protection services, psychosocial support and medical assistance, as well as distributing emergency relief items sourced locally within Gaza from wholesalers and remaining suppliers, and from the few aid deliveries entering Gaza.
There are still many challenges in getting aid to Gaza to meet the scale that’s needed, and frequent blockages. This is why ActionAid also works closely with the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies and UN agencies to get aid across the borders and to coordinate getting humanitarian relief to the large numbers of displaced people in Gaza.
Sour Al Nada recently received support through ActionAid’s local partner Wefaq, and she highlights how vital these services are. “No words can give them enough credit for the positivity they create,” she said. “What women need most these days is psychological support. We also need health support, food and health kits, as well as clothes and blankets.”
When we asked Sour what the solidarity from ActionAid supporters means to her, she highlighted how it lifts their spirits. “Their moral support alone helps a lot. It gives us hope that someone out there is standing with us.”
The impact of your support
ActionAid’s emergency response has reached more than 650,000 people in Gaza since October 2023. In 2025 alone, ActionAid and partners reached 237,784 people with:
- Hot meals and food parcels
- Hygiene and dignity kits
- Essential clothing items
- Shelter supplies
- Protection services and psychosocial support
In addition to delivering this much needed aid, we are advocating for increased humanitarian relief to be allowed into Gaza to meet the demands of two million people on the brink of famine.
What is happening in Gaza is one of the most urgent humanitarian emergencies in the world right now. Please continue your solidarity with the Palestinian people by donating to our Gaza Crisis Appeal, so we can scale our emergency response.