UNRWA launches Ramadan campaign against backdrop of Gaza emergency - 100 per cent of Zakat contributions go directly to people in need [EN/AR]

More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October. Hunger has reached catastrophic levels, with over 90 per cent of the population facing acute food insecurity. In northern Gaza, parents are feeding their children animal fodder and native plants, leading to possible malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies. At least 10 children are reported to have died of dehydration malnutrition in the north in recent days.

Against this background, UNRWA has launched its annual Ramadan campaign to provide much needed aid to the besieged Gaza Strip through emergency food assistance. Running until the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the campaign will provide 100 per cent of Zakat contributions direct to internally displaced people in the Gaza Strip who are facing starvation. Zakat contributions will also go to eligible Palestine Refugee families in the region through emergency food and cash assistance. As the single largest aid agency operating in Gaza, UNRWA is uniquely positioned to receive, transport and distribute aid to the more than 1.7 million displaced Palestinians in the embattled Strip, as well as across our four other fields of operation.

"The people of Gaza and Palestine Refugees across the Middle East are entering the holy month of Ramadan amid a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, heightened violence in the West Bank, and serious economic challenges in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Your support is needed to help UNRWA deliver much-needed humanitarian aid and critical services. 100 per cent of your donation will go to those in need. Please give generously and thank you for your support," said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

To donate your Zakat today, click here.

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Notes to Editors:

• Learn more about the UNRWA Zakat program from our annual Zakat Impact Report for 2023.
• UNRWA's Zakat Programme is in compliance with Sharia law:

1. 100 per cent distribution policy of Zakat, with no overhead fees deducted;
2. Endorsed by respected Islamic scholars, including from the al-Azhar and al-Aqsa mosques
3. Benefits eligible families, living in poverty and abject poverty, in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan;
4. Contributions are deposited into a separate, Islamic-banking compliant bank account at Safwa Islamic Bank.

Background Information:

UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency's area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.

UNRWA operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, The Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Tens of thousands of Palestine refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods due to the 1948 conflict continue to be displaced and in need of support, nearly 75 years on.

UNRWA helps Palestine Refugees achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

**Your support is crucial to help us provide emergency aid **
to displaced families in Gaza

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

UNRWA on Twitter:
@UNRWA
Email:
media@unrwa.org