GAZA VIDEO-Muslim Aid and GlobalMedic are currently waiting at the Rafah crossing to deliver 50 water purification units, 10 million water purification tablets and 220,000 Oral Rehydration Sachets.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to all our donors who have helped us raise =A31,500,000 for our emergency appeal. Due to your fantastic response, we are now raising our appeal target to =A35 Million. With these extra funds, we will deliver more emergency supplies to Gaza to deal with the aftermath of the conflict.
We also had a fantastic response to our special prayer for Gaza 'Qiyam and Qunut' held in conjucntion with the East London Mosque, London Muslim Centre (LMC) and the Young Muslim Organisation UK (YMO)-=A3100,000 was raised in one evening alone which is shows your commitment and support for the people of Gaza.
Public facilities are operating once again, the streets are being cleared, tractors are at work removing piles of rubble, power lines are being fixed and electricity and water services are being restored to homes in Gaza. Many UN Schools, which were used as places of refuge during the conflict, were opened last weekend, however classroom were crowded as 20,000 children returned to class. Families are trying to reunite with loved ones or return to find their possessions amongst the rubble which once stood as their homes. Aid agencies will also be allowed into Gaza to deliver aid and begin the difficult phase of rebuilding many of the 20,000 homes and 4,000 buildings that have been destroyed.
Over 100,000 people have been displaced since the conflict began 3 weeks ago. The death toll is estimated at 1,300 with 5,500 injured.
Approximately 21 medical facilities have been hit meaning there is little help for the thousands left injured by the conflict. Medical supplies are running dangerously low in hospitals and clinics as they try to administer long term treatment to those injured by the conflict.
Addressing the psychological trauma experienced by children who have lost relatives and loved ones will also be a huge challenge. Muslim Aid is working with the Palestine Trauma Centre to provide social and psychological care for children and families affected by the war on Gaza.
"We are here to let the children act out their stress and relive what has passed during the Israeli invasion," said Maher Wahba, a psychologist with Muslim Aid.
"These children have suffered a lot, we have seen many cases, many psychological disorders ... aggressive behavior, many nightmares, dreams."
Through local partners, Muslim Aid is working with those most affected, more than 1,000 food parcels have already been distributed, with each pack feeding a family for up to a month. Muslim Aid has been delivering humanitarian and developmental assistance in Palestine through its partners for over two decades. Our partners in Gaza have been delivering food packs to families and medical supplies to hospitals and clinics since the conflict began more than a week ago.