The horrific events in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory over the past three and a half weeks have shaken the Middle East and the wider world. The escalating war has already claimed thousands of lives, with thousands more injured and missing. In Gaza, according to the latest OCHA update, more than 1.4 million people have been displaced, 45% of housing has been damaged or destroyed, and more than 8,000 people reported killed — 67% of whom are women and children. The needs in the region are immense and growing quickly, demanding our wholehearted empathy and action.

Backed by 90 years of emergency response expertise, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is putting high-impact, cost-effective solutions that help people affected by crisis in place in 59 countries around the world. Right now, we are initiating a response to the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory, with a focus on providing critical health services and mental health support and ensuring the safety of women and children.

Working with trusted partners, the IRC will use proven emergency response approaches we have developed in various contexts, including robust monitoring and due diligence, to reach civilians who desperately need aid. The IRC’s deep experience working in the Middle East and North Africa region across Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya, which helped 6.3 million people last year, shows what is possible. Please join us as we support families facing unimaginably difficult conditions in Gaza and elsewhere in the region. We will bring to bear our expertise in helping people caught up in devastating conflict survive, recover, and rebuild their lives.

We have launched an appeal to help people affected by conflict in the Middle East and other crises around the world.

Please join us.

Opportunities for Impact
Cope, recover, and rebuild

In all our emergency interventions, the IRC collaborates with local partners to meet immediate needs while also planning sustainable, long-term solutions to improve the lives of communities.

For families affected by the conflict in Gaza—where more than 8,000 Palestinians have already been killed and over one million displaced—we must act fast to prevent loss of life and well-being. In communities affected by conflict worldwide, we first focus on addressing the most urgent needs in areas where the IRC can add the most value. We also deliver lasting impact by scaling and innovating in health care, helping children learn, and empowering individuals and communities to become self-reliant while always seeking to address inequalities women and girls face.

Flexible funding is urgently needed to meet growing needs in the Middle East and places affected by crises worldwide.

A gift of $50,000 could help the IRC and our local partners provide critical support, such as:

< Provide emergency health care for 767 people. Health facilities can be damaged or deemed unsafe for people to receive care for acute, long-term, or chronic conditions during emergencies. Your gift can help ensure people in emergencies have access to safe, timely mental and physical healthcare services and basic sanitary essentials such as soap, toilet paper, and face masks in the form of hygiene kits.

< Deliver emergency cash to meet basic needs for 65 families. Cash assistance—through vouchers that can be used at local markets—allows displaced families to buy essential goods, including food, which further benefits vendor families.

< Protect 750 women and girls. Risks to the safety of women and girls are heightened during emergencies, including sexual and domestic violence, early or forced marriage, and economic deprivations. Your gift could help support survivors of gender-based violence through services that can restore their purchasing power or help them access healthcare services and legal support.

Thank you for your support and consideration.