The ongoing war in Palestine, with its restrictions on movement and an economic embargo, has left the poor vulnerable to food shortages.

Islamic Relief's Food to Survive project supports poor families with much needed food parcels to ensure their survival while the food shortages continue.

Islamic Relief aid workers are distributing 33,000 food parcels to needy families affected by the embargo.

The current crisis comes at a time when people in Gaza and the West Bank are particularly vulnerable to poverty. Over the past five years Gaza and the West Bank have been subject to military incursions, the destruction of thousands of Palestinian homes and vast areas of agricultural land, public facilities and infrastructure.

In addition, international aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) is now dwindling following the last legislative elections.

The need for humanitarian relief is rising steeply as thousands of families lose their incomes. The freezing of civil servants salaries has meant that thousands of people have been buying on credit, but groceries and supermarkets are now unable to sustain the debts their customers owe to them.

Project Objectives

To relieve the hardship experienced by the poor in Palestine as a result of the recent severe conditions in Palestine through the provision of food parcels to about 33,000 families (new poor families).

This project will supplement IR's overall relief, rehabilitation and development programmes.

Project Activities

To provide food for 33,000 poor families suffering food insecurity in Palestine. 13,000 will be distributed in the West Bank and 20,000 in the Gaza Strip during the summer of 2006.

"Islamic Relief is striving for a fairer world. Our mission is to help the poor and needy to live sustainable, self-reliant lives within safe and caring communities. Our work is guided and shaped by the core values of accountability, humanitarianism, neutrality and impartiality, inclusiveness, integrity and co-operation, all of which are also integral to the Islamic faith."
Dr Hany El Banna - Founder of Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief was established in 1984 and our unique approach is the result of these many years of hands-on experience.

1. Where possible we adopt a community partnership-based approach; encouraging community involvement, understanding and ownership of projects.
2. We run the majority of our field projects ourselves, giving us direct insight into the problems faced and how best to solve them.
3. We aim to empower those we help in order to achieve sustainable results.
4. Though our emergency response teams are quick to respond to emergencies around the world, we continue to support communities long after the initial media interest has died down.
5. We recruit staff locally to benefit from their local knowledge. This ensures that we are culturally sensitive and allows us to reach communities and areas other organisations cannot.
6. Where necessary we coordinate our work with other reputable aid agencies, local organisations and governments.

Millennium Development Goals

Islamic Relief is committed to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which have been agreed by the world’s leading development institutions in an effort to meet the needs of the world’s poorest by the year 2015. 

The goals:

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

For more information about the MDGs, please visit: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/