Humanitarian response needed in Gaza and beyond

A ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas was recently announced, marking the first step toward enabling humanitarian organizations to scale up the delivery of vital supplies to civilians in Gaza.While we are taking things very cautiously, given the number of remaining uncertainties, everything is in place to scale up and deliver the large-scale response that is needed on the ground. 

One colleague Aya shared, “We are so emotional, and our feelings are indescribable: sadness, worry, celebration, and relief. My people are celebrating the stopping of the death toll count for now. Thank God it's over. It's time for a restful grief, a moment to cry.” 

Mercy Corps has been advocating for a ceasefire for over a year, so we welcome this news with hope that it will lead to a permanent ceasefire, much-needed news about the hostages returning to their families in Israel, increased aid flows, and the recovery and rebuilding of Gaza. 

Our CEO, Tjada D'Oyen McKenna, said in a statement, “This agreement offers a long-awaited glimmer of hope to millions of Palestinians who have endured over 15 months of devastating conflict, but the appalling suffering will persist unless there is an urgent and sustained scale-up of vital aid and the unblocking of critical services, including water and fuel, to Gaza.”  

Mercy Corps teams and partners are continuing to transport lifesaving relief—food, water, hygiene kits, and shelter supplies—into the region. More than 1.9 million peopleremain displaced and are enduring freezing winter nights in makeshift shelters. We hope this ceasefire will open a crucial window for aid delivery.