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© Ruzzi/Welthungerhilfe
The humanitarian situation is disastrous
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has created one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. Over 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced. With the first ceasefire coming to an end, people are once again cut off from vital aid supplies.
Our staff describe the situation on the ground as “absolutely catastrophic”. Since March 2, no more aid has been able to enter the region. People's food security is in grave danger: six of 25 supported bakeries have already had to cease production, there is a shortage of gas for cooking and prices for staple foods on the markets are skyrocketing. The progress made since the start of the ceasefire through aid deliveries is at stake.
28. March 2025
The Al-Rafi health centre in the north of the Gaza Strip, where until yesterday more than 600 patients received medical treatment every day, has been destroyed in an Israeli air strike. The facility is run by the local organization Juzoor, a partner of Welthungerhilfe (WHH) in supporting Gaza's vulnerable population. “Attacking health facilities is a violation of international humanitarian law. The destruction of the Al-Rafi health centre threatens to further worsen the humanitarian situation for 50,000 people in northern Gaza,” said Mathias Mogge, WHH Secretary General. “It is vital that the remaining health facilities in Gaza are protected. We need a further ceasefire to allow aid to reach those in need and prevent further suffering.”
© CESVI
“There is currently no other region in crisis where it is more difficult to provide humanitarian aid,” said WHH Secretary General, Mathias Mogge, underscoring the severity of the situation. "Trucks face weeks-long delays at the border, aid warehouses and distribution points are frequently evacuated due to changing safety orders, and safe access routes are regularly blocked. Humanitarian workers are constantly under threat. Yet, despite these challenges, we remain determined to continue supporting those in need," emphasized Mogge.
Together with our two Alliance 2015 partners, CESVI and terre des hommes Italy, we delivered food, hygiene items and medical supplies to northern Gaza. The local organization Juzoor supports us on the ground. Juzoor runs a medical facility in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in southern Gaza.
There, 350 medical professionals treat wounds, diarrhea, and colds, among other ailments.
© CESVI
When it rains at night, everything is under water. We also have to deal with vermin and infections. My daughter suffers from malnutrition. because drinking water and food are extremely scarce. My message to the world is: Look at us. We can't live like this. Our children are dying.
and his family have been displaced multiple times.
People are dying of hunger because too few relief supplies are reaching those in need. Children and women in particular are suffering worst under the current circumstances. Using hunger as a weapon would constitute a violation of international law. A famine must be averted.
WHH and its partners strictly adhere to the humanitarian principles of neutrality, humanity, impartiality, and independence in their work. WHH condemns the brutal attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, in the strongest terms and calls for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. At the same time, we call for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, for the protection of the civilian population and humanitarian workers, and for safe and unhindered access to be provided for the necessary aid supplies as quickly as possible.
Together with international partners such as CESVI, Juzoor and Terre des Hommes Italy, WHH is providing life-saving support for the people in the Gaza Strip. Our aid includes providing food, medical care, emergency shelters, clean drinking water and hygiene products. Since the start of the operation, we have reached around 120,000 people – during the ceasefire alone, 90,000 people were provided with relief supplies. Due to massive destruction and ongoing displacement, the humanitarian needs remain enormous. More than 1.95 million people are suffering from hunger and345,000 are at acute risk of starvation.
In addition to emergency relief, WHH is working on long-term measures to strengthen local resilience. These measures include operating mobile clinics, performing medical examinations for mothers and children, and maintaining water and sanitation facilities. Even though new aid deliveries are currently blocked, we continue our support through existing resources to help the people of Gaza as best we can.
Our international partners CESVI, Terre des Hommes Italy and our local partner Juzoor have worked in the Gaza Strip for many years and are also locally registered as NGOs. On the one hand, they have many years of experience with the relevant Israeli authorities, who have to approve every aid delivery to the Gaza Strip. On the other hand, they have trustworthy local partner organizations with whom they have successfully implemented many aid projects under difficult conditions.
The relief supplies are distributed to the families as soon as they arrive in the Gaza Strip. The trucks are generally not marked and the packages do not have any logos printed on them. Not attracting attention reduces the risk of looting. All aid shipments are registered with both the Israeli authorities and the relevant United Nations agencies. If necessary, CESVI has a warehouse in the Gaza Strip that is known to the Israeli authorities. Within a few days, the local employees directly distribute to families to avoid large crowds at distribution points. All of this ensures the safety of the people affected and the aid workers.
The selected international partner organizations have been working in the Gaza Strip for many years and have many years of experience in distributing relief supplies under challenging conditions. They have developed robust mechanisms to ensure relief supplies reach needy families. These mechanisms include checking and debriefing with recipients and fast communication channels to react immediately to disruptions or problems. Despite the difficult security situation on the ground, CESVI, Juzoor and Terre des Hommes Italy are working closely with local communities to minimize the misuse of aid.
WHH works closely with its international partners CESVI, Juzoor and Terre des Hommes Italy to ensure that relief measures are implemented efficiently and in a targeted manner. A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system (MEAL) continuously checks the use of funds and the progress of aid projects. We distribute relief supplies based on clearly defined criteria that ensure the neediest families are reached first.
In addition, there is regular reporting to the donors, which contains detailed information on how the funds have been used and what impact they have had. This transparency ensures that the donations bring maximum benefit to the affected population.
In 2023, we were able to achieve a lot with your help
WHH stands for transparency and quality, as well as the economical and targeted use of donations and verified information. For this reason, the German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI) has awarded us the donation seal of approval. We use your donation in a targeted and responsible manner. If we receive more donations than required for a project, we will fund other WHH projects needing funding.
A life without hunger is a human right. Nevertheless, millions of people worldwide go hungry. Together with our supporters, we have a goal: #ZeroHunger by 2030 – in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
WHH works according to the principle of "helping people to help themselves." We implement aid projects so that people can sustainably provide for themselves in the long term, making our own work redundant in the long run. With our donors, we support entire communities worldwide to advance their infrastructure and development and create a fair basis for all people in a region.
Yes, the German tax office recognizes donations up to 300 euros without a donation receipt and considers them tax-deductible. A bank statement is sufficient proof.
For donations over 300 euros, the tax office requires an annual donation receipt, which we send automatically at the beginning of the year following the donation. If you require a donation receipt in advance, please let us know.
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We use donations as transparently as possible to ensure that the donations we receive can be traced. Read about the donation process and how we use donations in our annual report.
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Welthungerhilfe has been holding the DZI seal of approval for donations since 1992. The seal certifies that Welthungerhilfe is handling the funds entrusted to it efficiently and responsibly.
