I’m reaching out to you today with updates from the crisis in Gaza.

Since October 2023, 40,000 Palestinians — over 70% of whom are women and children — have been killed. At least 278 aid workers, including 201 UN staff members, have been reported killed while delivering humanitarian aid.

After over 300 days of conflict, 1.9 million people, 90% of Gaza’s population, are internally displaced.

Today, on World Humanitarian Day, women and girls in Gaza are counting on you to deliver urgently needed aid.

Will you make a special humanitarian gift today to deliver lifesaving care to women and girls in crisis zones like Gaza?

Through this devastating crisis, UNFPA has been a constant — delivering humanitarian aid, lifesaving care, and essential services in Gaza from the moment conflict erupted.

Your gifts have made the following possible in Gaza:

• More than 50,000 Dignity and Reproductive Health Kits have been delivered so women and girls can manage their periods as menstrual hygiene products became scarce
• 29 sexual and reproductive health teams and 55 community midwives have been deployed to ensure safe deliveries
• 2,400 Mama Kits have been distributed including basic hygiene and care items for mothers and newborns

But as needs continue to mount, UNFPA has intensified its humanitarian response in Gaza to ensure the delivery of lifesaving sexual and reproductive health and violence protection and response services.

UNFPA’s humanitarian response plan is dedicated to addressing the most pressing humanitarian needs of women and girls, particularly those affected by the current crisis in Gaza.

But as of August 19th, our humanitarian response plan is only 38% funded.

Please, will you make a special gift on World Humanitarian Day to fill the funding shortfall and deliver lifesaving care, aid, and services to those impacted by crises in Gaza and beyond?

We condemn the violence in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel, and echo the UN Secretary-General’s call for a sustained humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages by Hamas. The suffering must end and peace must prevail.

Thank you for being there.

Sincerely,

Anu Surendran
Chief Executive Officer
USA for UNFPA