As violence escalates in Gaza, AmeriCares is taking urgent action to ensure the delivery of more than $1.4 million in lifesaving medical aid arrives safely to help people in need. AmeriCares is providing shipments of medicines and medical supplies for families trapped by ongoing violence in Gaza.

The current shipment of medical aid includes antibiotics, surgical supplies, pain medicines, products to treat eye injuries, which are very common in conflict situations, and other basic supplies.

AmeriCares has been working with our partner, American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), since 1993 to provide regular shipments of humanitarian assistance. ANERA is an American nongovernmental organization with five program offices in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank and partners with may other American charitable organizations such as Global Impact, the American Jewish World Service and Mercy Corps. ANERA, like AmeriCares, has a humanitarian focus and is apolitical.

AmeriCares has also offered aid to Israel, however Magen David Adom, Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross, does not generally accept donations of medicines from outside the country. AmeriCares has been supporting medical relief for the Israeli people since 1993. Most recently, we have provided donations of medicines to volunteer physicians traveling to Israel from the U.S. through our Medical Outreach Program.

Nearly 80% of Gaza’s residents are dependent upon humanitarian aid for their basic needs – including basic health care for themselves and their children. In an average year, AmeriCares sends six shipments to support civilian hospitals and clinics to Gaza. An additional shipment of $3 million in aid from AmeriCares is slated to arrive in Gaza and the West Bank in January.