Attachments
OPENING STATEMENT
This document outlines WeWorld’s emergency response over the past 15 months, since the beginning of the war on 07.10.2023 till the ceasefire come into effect on 19.01.2025. It also outlines WeWorld strategy and operational framework to guide future the next phases’ interventions.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the current ceasefire, WeWorld is prioritizing rapid humanitarian scale-up, focusing on life-saving assistance, including food, water, education, shelter and protection services. The response is designed to be adapted to evolving scenarios, ensuring that aid reaches those in greatest need while access remains possible.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Since October 2023, Gaza has endured relentless bombardment, causing unprecedented destruction and widespread reports of grave violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Laws. Repeated airstrikes have devastated hospitals, schools, commercial buildings, religious sites, and homes, leading to the mass displacement of nearly 1.9 million people. The impact has been catastrophic: 47,540 Palestinians have been killed, 111,618 injured, and an estimated 10,000 people are missing, probably lying under the rubble. 14,500 children have lost their lives - averaging more than one child killed per hour. Approximately 91% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, with many forced to flee multiple times, left without stable shelter, food, and essential services.
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WEWORLD IN GAZA
WeWorld has been present in the Gaza Strip since 1997 and in the West Bank since 1992 with a dual development and humanitarian mandate. Over the past two decades, it has provided humanitarian assistance to Gaza, especially to the most vulnerable communities, in the fields of WASH, Protection, Education, Economic Development, and Health. In the occupied Palestinian territory WeWorld is primarily funded by the European Commission, UN agencies, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and other cooperation agencies.
WeWorld is a member of the national WASH Cluster Strategic Advisory Board and co-leads the Hygiene and Sanitation Working Group in Gaza and the West Bank.
WEWORLD’S EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN NUMBERS
Over the past 15 months WeWorld’s provided comprehensive WASH interventions and distribution of food to the temporary designated shelters. WeWorld life-saving response has reached almost 1 million people (974,396,000), the majority being children and women. This has been possible thanks to the support of UNICEF, OCHA, EU, ChildFund Alliance Members (Barnfonden, ChildFund Deutschland, ChildFund Japan, ChildFund Korea) and others.
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FUTURE RESPONSE
The new conditions generated by the enforcement of the ceasefire allows WeWorld to respond through two sequential workstreams, related to different scenarios. Programmatic priorities and prioritized activities are duly detailed in the document. The planned response aims at assisting vulnerable people, strengthening the organization footprint, and gradually scale up operations (even in the short term).
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