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Israel Gaza War

STATUS
Active Emergency (Photo: Ibrahim Zaanoun/Anera)
DATE
October 7, 2023 – Present
REGION
Gaza

Israel Gaza War

More than two years of relentless violence, aid blockages and forced displacement by Israeli authorities have spiraled Gaza into a catastrophic health and hunger crisis. Even with a ceasefire in effect, the health situation remains precarious. 

Children are suffering from malnutrition, health facilities have been destroyed and there’s no reliable access to clean water. People in Gaza are living in unimaginable conditions amidst this humanitarian catastrophe. 

The health care system in Gaza has collapsed due to attacks on health facilities and shortages of electricity, medicine, equipment and specialized personnel.  

There are no fully functioning hospitals for a population of over 2 million people. Gaza’s health workers continue to serve their communities, but their ability to save lives is hindered due to lack of critical medicines and supplies. 

Hunger continues to threaten lives. While the increase in food aid improved nutrition in late 2025, about 77 percent of Gaza’s population — 1.6 million people — are currently facing high levels of acute food insecurity. 

Children are especially at risk. In 2025, more than 94,000 children in Gaza were identified as having acute malnutrition, including approximately 19,000 children with life-threatening severe acute malnutrition. Nearly 246,000 children up to age 17 and 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition and require treatment in 2026. 

While aid delivery has improved under the fragile ceasefire, humanitarian organizations face continued challenges with Israeli authorities restricting some organizations from bringing aid into Gaza and some cargo denied, or delayed, at operational crossings.  

Americares has an expansive partner network that includes both local and international aid organizations and can quickly pivot and channel funding and medical aid to partner organizations on the ground in Gaza as the situation evolves. 

“It is unconscionable that children, families and frontline health workers are dying preventable deaths while millions of dollars’ worth of critical food and medical supplies trickle slowly through limited border crossings. Americares continues to work through every channel to get more lifesaving aid into Gaza.”

– Deputy Senior Vice President of Emergency Programs Provash Budden

Our Response

For more than 30 years, Americares has supported the health system in Gaza and the West Bank, delivering essential medicines and medical supplies to communities in need.  

Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, Americares has significantly increased emergency aid deliveries, providing 36 tons of medicine and medical supplies — enough to fill more than 360,000 prescriptions. In addition, Americares has awarded more than $1.3 million in emergency funding to address urgent health needs in Gaza. 

Americares most recent shipment includes enough chemotherapy treatments for over 300 patients plus enough medicines to manage cancer-related side effects for over 3,000 patients.  

Working closely with trusted partners on the ground, Americares has already helped provide medical care for more than 43,000 patients and supported mental health services for over 27,000 people in Gaza.  

Learn how Americares helped one mother and baby in Gaza

Americares is steadfast in our commitment to supporting health services for people in Gaza suffering from malnutrition and forced displacement and violence after more than two years of war. 

A staff member hands formula to a woman and child in Gaza
A United Palestinian Appeal staff member distributes infant milk formula to caregivers of young children at a clinic in Gaza on Jan. 31, 2026. (Photo/United Palestinian Appeal). 

When 4-year-old Dawud*’s leg was badly broken by a missile strike in Gaza, he received emergency surgery. But for a full recovery, the little boy needed medical care not available in Gaza, where many hospitals have been damaged or destroyed.  

With the help of an Americares-funded local partner, Dawud, his mother Reem and other family members were evacuated to Egypt. There, Dawud received the medical treatment he needed, along with physical therapy and mental health support.  

“People need support after this war – moral, psychological, financial support. It’s all necessary,” says Reem.  

Americares funded this program through December 2024. 

*name changed for privacy


“People need support… moral, psychological, financial support. It’s all necessary”

With support from Americares and a local partner, Dawud* received the medical care he needed in Egypt; his leg was badly broken by a missile strike in Gaza. July 23, 2024. (Photo/Jeff Kennel)
An Americares shipment of 6 tons of desperately needed surgical supplies, bandages, antibiotics, oral rehydration salts and labor and delivery supplies arrives in Gaza in November 2023. Credit to Anera

Updated May 2026