Updated on: October 23, 2023
Innocent men, women, and children are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. The best way to support victims of the Israel-Hamas crisis is through financially supporting the charities and organizations who are on the ground and delivering aid.
To help, I’ve listed some of the most reputable local and international organizations that lead emergency relief efforts in the region. Donating to trusted organizations ensures that your contribution reaches those who need it most.
The Impact of the Hamas Attack and Israel’s Response
On October 7, 2023, Hamas fired thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israeli towns before breaching the fortified Israel-Gaza border and sending gunmen deep into southern Israel.
Hamas seems to have purposefully targeted civilians — including women and children — in a terror attack that was unprecedented in its tactics, scale, and brutality. According to Israeli authorities, more than 1,400 Israelis lost their lives, including 260 civilians who attended a music festival near the Gaza border. At least 3,400 Israelis are injured and hundreds have been abducted and taken into Gaza.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas on October 8, and by October 9 had regained control of the towns Hamas assaulted. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) told civilians in Gaza to evacuate residential areas ahead of a heavy bombardment of Hamas and Islamic Jihadist positions between October 7 and 12. On October 12, the IDF ordered roughly 1 million people in northern Gaza to evacuate and move south, signaling a major Israeli ground offensive.
Following these warnings, Palestinians have been largely unable to leave Gaza. Egypt’s border with Palestine remains closed to most Palestinian refugees. The IDF also claims that Hamas has prevented Palestinians from evacuating. Many others have refused to leave for fear of displacement from their homes.
As of October 19, Palestinian officials say at least 3,785 Palestinians have died. According to the UN, an estimated 1 million have been displaced.
Israel has closed its crossings with Palestine until Hamas releases Israeli hostages, but has said that aid can enter from Egypt’s Rafah Crossing. With the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsening, aid was unable to cross the border until the US, UN, Egypt, and Israel could reach an agreement. On October 21, the first critical supplies entered Gaza, with another delivery of aid on October 22.
Local Aid Organizations
1. IsraAID
Website: https://www.israaid.org/
Location: Israel
Type of Aid Provided: Emergency Aid, Psychosocial Support
A coalition that brings together numerous Israeli organizations, IsraAID focuses on disaster relief and international development efforts. It was founded in 2001 and has since grown to become the largest humanitarian aid organization in the country.
With its local partners, IsraAID coordinates humanitarian activities across several sectors. These include housing evacuees from the Gaza border, distributing resilience kits, running child-friendly spaces for affected children and their families, and training mental health specialists on emergency-specific psychosocial support for victims. IsraAID has set up the IsraAID Emergency Fund to help these efforts.
2. Israel Trauma Coalition
Website: https://israeltraumacoalition.org/en/
Location: Israel
Type of Aid Provided: Psychosocial Support
Created in 2001 by the UJA Federation of New York, the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC) coordinates emergency preparedness and response work across 22 countries, through the work of 40 associated organizations.
The ITC has 12 resilience centers across Israel, including the Gaza envelope. The funds donated to ITC go toward these centers, which provide resilience training, emergency psychosocial support, and long-term mental health rehabilitation. During the Israel-Hamas war, such services may be crucial for the continued well-being of the thousands of Israeli victims.
3. Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
Website: https://www.pcrf.net/
Location: West Bank
Type of Aid Provided: Food, Water, Shelter, Medical Aid
Located in the West Bank, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) was founded by American humanitarians in 1991. Each year, it provides free health care to thousands of Palestinian children who would otherwise go without treatment.
In light of the conflict in Gaza, the PCRF has established a direct Gaza Relief Fund. Its proceeds will go toward supplying children and families in the Gaza Strip with urgent medical supplies and assistance, as well as providing them with basic necessities such as shelter, water, and food.
4. The Jewish Agency for Israel
Website: https://www.jewishagency.org/
Location: Israel
Type of Aid Provided: Emergency Aid, Long-Term Recovery
The Jewish Agency for Israel is one of the oldest Israeli NGOs. It was founded in 1929, nearly 20 years before the State of Israel was founded. Its main focus is on providing the global framework for Aliyah, i.e. the relocation of Jewish people to Israel.
In light of the Israel-Hamas war, the Jewish Agency mobilized its Fund for Victims of Terror to help distribute financial aid to Israelis impacted by the Hamas attacks. It has already dispensed hundreds of grants to date, with many more on the way.
5. United Hatzalah
Website: https://israelrescue.org/
Location: Jerusalem
Type of Aid Provided: Medical Aid
United Hatzalah is a community-based emergency medical services (EMS) provider. It relies on the work of volunteers to realize its goal of providing the fastest possible response to medical emergencies in Israel. Its average response time is 3 minutes or less.
The organization currently operates a network of over 6,500 medics, many of whom have been deployed to provide assistance on the frontlines of the Israel-Hamas war. Those willing to help United Hatzalah continue its efforts can donate equipment or cash through the website. The organization has also created a donation page dedicated to helping treat people injured in southern Israel.
International Aid Organizations
6. Alliance for Middle East Peace
Website: https://www.allmep.org/
Location: United States
Type of Aid Provided: Advocacy, Supporting NGOs
This Washington-based network of Israeli and Palestinian peace advocates is the largest organization of its kind. The Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) is driven by a vision of Palestinians and Israelis living side-by-side in peace and prosperity.
During the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, ALLMEP has started a campaign designed to help member NGOs gather the emergency funding and essential aid they need to support victims. The organization also connects member NGOs with donors and helps local organizations in the region obtain funding. You can donate to ALLMEP via its site.
7. American Friends of Magen David Adom
Website: https://afmda.org/
Location: United States
Type of Aid Provided: Medical Aid
Magen David Adom (MDA) is Israel’s official representative to the International Red Cross. American Friends of Magen David Adom helps coordinate donors from the United States and ensures that their funds reach the aid society in Israel.
The Israel-Hamas war has forced MDA to activate all 1,400 of its ambulances and other vehicles, mobilizing the entirety of its available vehicles, equipment, staff, and volunteer force. MDA staff are on the frontlines, providing emergency medical aid to those who’ve sustained injuries during the crisis. In order to get more ambulances out to the field and keep a steady supply of emergency supplies, MDA relies on donations.
8. American Friends of Soroka Medical Center
Website: https://www.soroka.org/
Location: United States
Type of Aid Provided: Medical Aid
The Soroka Medical Center is the only major hospital in the Negev region of southern Israel, and American Friends of Soroka Medical Center is a US-based nonprofit that provides it with financial support.
Following the Hamas attacks on southern Israel, the Soroka Medical Center became overwhelmed with patients in need of urgent care. To acquire medical equipment and continue to provide critical emergency care close to the crisis zone, the Soroka Medical Center is asking for support in the form of donations.
9. American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
Website: https://www.jdc.org/
Location: United States
Type of Aid Provided: Psychosocial support, Financial Assistance, Long-Term Recovery
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) was established over 100 years ago. It is now the leading Jewish humanitarian organization and its aid reaches vulnerable Jews all over the world.
In response to the current crisis, JDC is seeking donations to finance its efforts on the ground in Israel. The organization is involved in providing mental health care to the impacted youth, training frontline workers to meet the needs of the most vulnerable victims, and financially supporting southern Israeli communities and businesses in this time of crisis.
10. Anera
Website: https://www.anera.org/
Location: United States
Type of Aid Provided: Food, Water, Medical Aid, Essential Supplies
Anera was created in 1968 and is one of the oldest relief organizations in the region. Its focus is on helping refugees affected by conflict in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan return to normal life. It has no political or religious affiliation.
The organization has launched a relief fund in response to the conflict in Gaza. Proceeds will be used to support refugees with food, water, hygiene kits, and medical aid.
11. Jewish Federations of North America
Website: https://www.jewishfederations.org/
Location: United States
Type of Aid Provided: Emergency Aid, Psychosocial Support, Long-Term Recovery
The Jewish Federations of North America represents nearly 400 independent Jewish communities and is dedicated to supporting Jews globally in all manner of social service issues. It’s also active in the area of humanitarian crisis relief, as well as providing a financial safety net to those in need.
Jewish Federations are now working to provide aid and psychosocial support to victims of the Hamas attacks, as well as to rebuild damaged infrastructure. All donations sourced from its 2023 Israel Emergency Campaign go directly to impacted communities in Israel.
12. Medical Aid for Palestinians
Website: https://www.map.org.uk/
Location: United Kingdom
Type of Aid Provided: Medical Aid
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) was established in London by Dr. Swee Chai Ang, shortly after the Sabra and Shatila massacre of 1982. The organization provides immediate medical assistance to Palestinians, while also helping Palestinian communities develop locally-led healthcare services.
MAP currently has a team on the ground in Gaza. It is responding to the humanitarian crisis by helping to distribute essential medications and other healthcare supplies to hospitals in the area. With casualties expected to continue to rise, MAP has launched an Emergency Appeal to fund its efforts in the bombarded territory.
13. The New Israel Fund
Website: https://www.nif.org/
Location: United States
Type of Aid Provided: Supporting NGOs, Psychosocial support
Since its founding in 1973, the New Israel Fund (NIF) has provided over $300 million to 900 organizations in Israel. Its goal is to help Israel become a society that guarantees liberal democracy, freedom of speech, and equal rights to all of its inhabitants.
NIF is actively involved in supporting the victims of the Israel-Hamas war by providing emergency support to organizations and communities working on the frontlines. It’s raising money to help provide trauma counseling and care for the most vulnerable, as well as to aid the organization’s efforts to combat hate speech, violence, and extremism in Israeli cities with Jewish and Arab residents.
14. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency
Website: https://www.unrwa.org/
Location: Jordan
Type of Aid Provided: Shelter, Food, Water, Medical Aid
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) was created in response to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war and began its operations in May 1950. It works primarily in the area of humanitarian aid and human development services, which includes armed conflict emergency response.
The UNRWA is committed to helping the hundreds of thousands of refugees in Gaza from areas affected by the conflict. It provides them with food, water, shelter, and emergency medical aid. With the recent escalation of needs, the UNRWA is quickly depleting its resources and is urgently requesting donations.
How to Protect Your Children from Violent Images
Images of the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip are being broadcast online. Children and teenagers could be exposed to violent images through social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. While on-screen trauma may not affect children physically, it can leave a lasting mark on their developing psyche.
Israeli schools even urged parents to remove these apps from their children’s smartphones to protect them from violent images and extremist messages. However, kids are resourceful and can find workarounds to access their favorite platforms.
Most social media apps have parental control options you can enable to have more agency over what your kids can access.
How to Enable Social Media Controls and Monitor Content
TikTok:
- Enable Restricted Mode to limit inappropriate content by going to Profile → Menu → Settings and privacy → Content preferences → Restricted Mode
- Set up family pairing to monitor your child’s account
- Filter video keywords by navigating to Profile → Settings and Privacy → Content Preferences
Snapchat:
- Establish content controls by going to Profile → Settings → Family Center → Invite Your Teen
- Customize their available content by going to Settings → Additional Services → Lifestyle and Interests → Customize
Instagram:
- Configure sensitive content controls by navigating to Settings and Privacy → Suggested Content → Sensitive Content → Continue → Less
YouTube:
- Enable Restricted Mode on every device or browser your child uses to watch YouTube by going to Account → Restricted Mode.
Additional Ways to Limit Exposure to Violence Online
- Discuss harmful content with children and encourage them to stick to only viewing the content they choose to view, such as content published by the creators they follow
- Ask children to avoid live video streams and tabs like “For You” on TikTok, “Discover” on Snapchat, or “Explore” on Instagram, as this is where they might come across most of the uncensored, violent content
- Download parental control apps like Qustodio, Norton Family Premier, or Net Nanny, which can help set restrictions on the websites a device can access, and how long it can be used each day
The Bottom Line
As the war between Israel and Hamas looks set to escalate, we cannot sit idly by and watch it unfold. Hundreds of volunteers from dozens of charitable organizations are on the ground providing essential emergency aid to victims and refugees. Their help largely depends on donations from people like you. Sparing just a few dollars can have a tangible, positive impact on the lives of people who have lost everything through no fault of their own.