The Situation Since Israel was violently attacked across the border from Gaza on October 7 and the ongoing hostilities escalated, tens of thousands of people have been reported killed or injured in Gaza and Israel, and the toll continues to rise with over 1.6 million people displaced in Gaza – about 70 percent of the the population. Some shelters for internally displaced persons are accommodating far more people than their intended capacity, increasing concerns about the spread of disease. At least 200 health workers and more than 100 staff of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East have been killed. Seven weeks into the crisis, a short-term cease-fire has led to a release of some of the more than 200 people held hostage and the release of a number of Palestinian detainees. In Israel, hundreds of thousands of people residing near the Gaza Strip, as well as along the border with Lebanon, have either fled or been evacuated. For the latest update on the situation, read the most recent report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). The escalation has created a major humanitarian crisis with health and other essential services including power and sanitation shutting down and food and water supplies nearly exhausted. The health care system in Gaza remains near collapse with hospitals and health centers damaged and running out of fuel and supplies, severely limiting their capacity to treat the sick and injured. More than half of the hospitals in Gaza were not operating as of Nov. 14, according to the World Health Organization. The temporary cease-fire agreement has allowed for an increase in the flow of aid into Gaza. We call on all parties to protect civilians. Hospitals should not be targeted, civilians should have access to safe spaces away from the fighting and the humanitarian corridor should be expanded to allow more food, medicine, and other essentials to enter Gaza. The Crisis Deepens and the need is great. Please Donate Now.