For Immediate Release

NZ NGOs respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza

NZ NGOs are responding to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip with news today of an upsurge in violence and an increasing number of civilian casualties.

Seven members of the NGO Disaster Relief Forum (NDRF) have launched or are about to launch appeals to raise funds that will help their partner organisations in Gaza. They are Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, Christian World Service (CWS), Oxfam New Zealand, Save the Children New Zealand, UNICEF New Zealand and World Vision New Zealand. TEAR Fund will launch an appeal tomorrow.

These organisations are working with their partner organisations to provide food and aid for displaced families, medical treatment, water, sanitation and hygiene, cash grants, protection, education and psychosocial counselling for children.

New Zealander, Alex Snary, National Director of World Vision's work in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza, recently visited children in Gaza during a brief cease-fire. “Even after the immediate needs of food and shelter are met, the psychological suffering of the children and grieving for those who were killed will continue for months to come”, he says.

While Trish Murray from CWS who was in Gaza in May says children who were still suffering from the 2012 attacks are now being re-traumatised. “Vital infrastructure has been destroyed. The people need food, water, medical treatment and shelter. But more than anything they need the military offensive to end and real steps towards building a just peace."

The organisations going to appeal are all members of the NGO Disaster Relief Forum, a network of NZ charities that respond to disasters and humanitarian crises internationally. You can find more information about what each of these organisations are doing by going to the NDRF website or directly to the agencies concerned.

NDRF members involved in the response efforts are: Caritas, CWS, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tear Fund, UNICEF and World Vision.

For more information on the crisis, or to donate to an appeal, visit the NDRF website: www.ndrf.org.nz

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