The Overseas Aid & Development Commission has agreed to make an immediate Disaster and Emergency Relief Award of £50,000 to Christian Aid to provide life-saving assistance in Gaza.
The donation is being made purely for humanitarian reasons. £35,000 will be spent on 6,000 kilos of dry milk powder. The remainder will help to provide other basic needs such as water, food, nappies and winter clothes for babies and the elderly living in shelters, or with host families, in the south of Gaza. All of the supplies will act as a lifesaving and nutritional support measure for vulnerable people.
The Commission is, of course, gravely concerned by the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and is very sad to hear of the ongoing loss of life and thousands of injuries caused by the conflict. It has previously stated that it would be minded to provide support to Gaza when it could be demonstrated that the aid could be safely delivered on the ground.
All of the supplies will be purchased from within Gaza itself helping to ensure its safe delivery. For example, the dry milk powder will be purchased from a food manufacturing company based in Gaza. All due diligence has been undertaken, with Christian Aid screening its suppliers and its long-standing and trusted partners in Gaza to ensure there is no profiteering or malicious actors involved.
Deputy Chris Blin, the President of the OA&DC, said: “The Commission does not take a political position on such matters, but what it does take is a humanitarian one. There is currently great hardship for Gaza’s population, including children and the elderly, and the Commission is pleased to make a contribution to help ease this human suffering.”
Main picture credit Christian Aid
