After the Israeli military issued an evacuation notice on Monday,
airstrikes were launched into Rafah, where more than 1.2 million civilians
are sheltering in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

Right now,
there is truly no “safe zone”at the moment in Gaza, as it is still unclear
if this is the beginning of a full-scale offensive.

[ [link removed] ]As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza worsens, please consider making
a gift to provide urgent support for families living through crises in
places like Gaza and 40+ countries worldwide.


[ [link removed] ]Give now [ [link removed] ]▸


Mercy Corps is on the ground monitoring the situation, and we will
continue to advocate for an immediate and permanent ceasefire: The
fighting must stop, unimpeded aid must be allowed, and the remaining
civilians in Gaza must be saved.

We’ll continue to provide updates on this rapidly developing situation.
Thank you for your generosity in this time of need.

The Mercy Corps team

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mercy Corps <[email protected]>
Date: Saturday, May 4, 2024 at 9:09 AM
Subject: Emergency update 5/4: Conditions worsen in Gaza and Sudan

[ [link removed] ]Mercy Corps

Dear friend,

Right now, families in Gaza and Sudan are living through devastating
emergencies caused by ongoing violent conflict. From famine-like
conditions to mass displacement, the needs are extraordinary — and Mercy
Corps teams and partners are doing everything possible to deliver
life-saving humanitarian aid to those who are affected.

This month’s emergency update includes updates
from both Gaza and Sudan — including the extent of the challenges facing
local communities and Mercy Corps’ ongoing emergency response. Please read
on for further updates — [ [link removed] ]and if you’re ready to contribute to our work
supporting families in crisis worldwide, consider making a gift to Mercy
Corps to help power our life-saving impact.



[ [link removed] ]Donate now [ [link removed] ]▸



Situation in Gaza

[ [link removed] ][IMG]
Thousands of displaced people are staying in makeshift tents after being
displaced from various parts of Gaza but the ongoing conflict. © Shadow
Pro for Mercy Corps


The situation in Gaza continues to worsen as aid is still severely
restricted from entering impacted areas. In April, Samantha Power, the
director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), told
U.S. leaders that famine had begun in Gaza, and since then the situation
has continued to deteriorate.


  Half of the population of Gaza — around 1.1 million Palestinians — are
  facing catastrophic levels of hunger and starvation. The entire
population — around 2.2 million people — are facing high levels of
acute food insecurity.
 
  More than 33,000 Palestinians, at least 14,500 of them children, have
  been killed over the last six months. More than 75,000 people have
been injured, many with life-changing injuries that will leave them
with permanent disabilities.
 
  Over 70% of Gaza’s population, around 1.7 million people, has been
  forcibly displaced. More than 70% of Gaza’s homes, much of its
schools, and its water and sanitation infrastructure have been
destroyed or damaged.
 
  Not a single medical facility in Gaza is fully operational, and those
  partially functioning are overwhelmed with trauma cases and shortages
of medical supplies and doctors. More than 489 health workers have
been killed.
 
    At least 243 aid workers in Gaza have been killed, the highest of any
conflict in this century.


How we’re responding


Mercy Corps teams are on the ground, bringing urgent and desperately
needed aid to the people of northern Gaza. To date, we have distributed
over 40,100 food baskets and over 19,900 hygiene kits. Distribution
efforts are ongoing, and we expect to deliver an additional 27,300 food,
hygiene, and shelter kits in the coming weeks.

So far, this war has taken thousands of lives and severely impacted
millions of families — putting them on the brink of famine. Only a
sustained ceasefire and an end to the siege coupled with the massive
scale-up of humanitarian aid can prevent continued civilian death and
destruction in Gaza.

[ [link removed] ]You can read more about the ongoing crisis in Gaza and how Mercy Corps
is responding on our website.


Situation in Sudan


[ [link removed] ][IMG]
Mercy Corps provides direct cash assistance to community members in
several states across the southern area of Sudan. People are then able to
buy food and water for themselves and their families.


This month marked the one-year milestone since the civil war broke out in
Sudan. Since then, Sudanese people have suffered imaginable atrocities.
Since April 2023, more than 8 million people have been displaced from
their homes, and more than 14,000 people have been killed. The reality is
that this number could be much higher, as it is nearly impossible for
outside observers to enter the country.

Due to the humanitarian crises happening in Gaza and Ukraine, the conflict
has not received the international attention or humanitarian response it
demands. With 24.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in
2024, we cannot allow the crisis in Sudan to be forgotten.


How we’re responding


Recently, Mercy Corps CEO Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, delivered a speech in
France at the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its
Neighboring Countries to call for more funding for humanitarian aid to
Sudan. She reminded the audience that "the threat of famine is real, with
hundreds of thousands at risk of perishing, including some 230,000
children, pregnant women, and new mothers."

At that conference, 58 countries pledged $2.1 billion worth of
humanitarian aid to address the famine and the many urgent needs in the
country. But as our CEO explains, "The $2.1 billion that has been pledged
represents just 20 cents per day for each person in dire need of
assistance."

Mercy Corps’ work in Sudan started in 2004, providing support to thousands
of displaced and refugee families. Beyond rapid humanitarian response to
emergencies, Mercy Corps has been able to implement development programs
to promote agricultural and economic efforts and peacebuilding programs to
protect women from violent conflicts.

The violence from the civil war has severely limited humanitarian aid
organizations’ ability to deliver aid; however, our teams are monitoring
the situation and are committed to delivering the lifesaving support that
is needed in Sudan.

[ [link removed] ]You can read more about the ongoing crisis in Sudan and how Mercy
Corps is responding on our website.

Responding effectively to urgent needs due to war, natural disasters, and
other emergencies requires people from every corner to pitch in. Mercy
Corps is working with multiple partners to help families in Gaza, Sudan,
and 40+ countries around the world, but the needs continue to grow.

[ [link removed] ]Will you make a gift right now to
help support our work to deliver lifesaving aid in Gaza, Sudan, and 40+
countries worldwide?


[ [link removed] ]Donate [ [link removed] ]▸



Sincerely,

The Mercy Corps team

[ [link removed] ]DONATE

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