In solidarity with Gaza and Lebanon: A call from Tarek Loubani

Deadly airstrikes kill and displace hundreds in Lebanon

Israel’s bombing of Lebanon has been the deadliest since the crisis began almost a year ago. Over 558 people have been killed, and over 1,835 wounded – many of whom are women and young children. 

Hundreds of Israeli airstrikes have torn through residential areas, with at least 24,000 residential buildings having been badly damaged or completely destroyed. Families are fleeing the south of the country in terror.  

This latest escalation is likely to force even more families from their homes. More than 116,000 people in Lebanon have already been displaced over the past year, and many are now in desperate need of aid. These deadly airstrikes have only further exacerbated ongoing economic struggles, and there are fears that the situation will only continue to worsen.

“There is mass panic, families here are terrified and they don’t know what to do or where to go. Young children are among those killed by the bombs, and any further escalation will be absolutely disastrous for civilians.” 

– Islamic Relief’s Country Director in Lebanon

How your donation can help the people of Lebanon​

Islamic Relief is on the ground providing urgent medical supplies to hospitals and primary healthcare clinics, as well as food parcels, hygiene kits, blankets and mattresses to those most affected. We are providing aid to both host communities and internally displaced communities in Nabatieh, Tyre, Bekaa and Baalbek - where thousands are seeking refuge.   

With much of Lebanon’s population already struggling to cope with the fallout from a years-long economic crisis - your support is a lifeline. 

You can help ease the burdens of the people of Lebanon by donating towards our life-saving work in impacted communities.

What support is Islamic Relief currently providing in Lebanon

Islamic Relief has been working in Lebanon since 2006, supporting communities through war, displacement and the current crises.  

Since tensions escalated in the region in October 2023, Islamic Relief has helped nearly 30,000 people affected by the crisis. 

Currently, our team in Lebanon have assisted rights-holders through:

📦 3,117 food parcels

🧼 1,987 hygiene kits

🛏️ 300 blankets and 300 mattresses

🥩 500 meat packs (3 kg each)

⛑️ 6,158 medical supplies

However, we need your help to do more. 

Call on Canada to Make Gaza a Priority

As the Canadian Parliament reconvenes on September 16, we are coming together to demand that Gaza be at the top of their agenda. 

Every day that passes without action worsens the situation. The time to act is now. 

You have the power to make a difference. Together, we can make sure the Canadian government:

1. Prioritizes Gaza
2. Advocates for humanitarian access
3. Enforces an arms embargo
4. Calls for a ceasefire

Justice is an Islamic virtue. As Muslims, we have an obligation to speak out against injustice and stand up for the oppressed. Advocacy is one part of our fight for justice. 

Add your voice! Take action now and send an email to your political representative. Let them know that Canadians care about Gaza, and we won’t remain silent while innocent lives are lost.

Send Urgent Relief to Gaza

The people of Gaza are fleeing for their lives as they experience over 345 days of indiscriminate attacks, ongoing blockade, and a starvation diet. Over 95,413 Palestinians have been injured and 41,226 people killed, with 1.9 million people forcefully displaced. 

The death toll in Gaza could exceed 186,000, according to a study published in the journal Lancet. A polio epidemic is sweeping through besieged Gaza due to a lack of medication, clean water, and limited food supplies.

Islamic Relief is on the ground in Rafah, Khan Younis, Deir Al Balah, Zawayda, and North Gaza, delivering daily ready-to-eat hot meals in Gaza. We have distributed 38 million hot meals thus far. 

We are also distributing hygiene kits, clean water via water tanks, and psychosocial support for children–but the enormity of the crisis means that much more is needed. Support our Gaza emergency appeal and continue saving lives.

Urgent Sponsorships Needed for Orphans in Gaza

In the face of the most catastrophic destruction and humanitarian crisis to date in Gaza, children are paying the heaviest price. 

Nearly half of Gaza’s population are children, with over 450,000 currently left without a home. 25,000 Palestinian children have been orphaned and no longer have the emotional or financial support to survive, let alone thrive. 

Islamic Relief currently has hundreds of orphans registered in our system waiting to be sponsored, and with each passing day, more and more orphans are becoming in dire need of urgent support. 

Please join us in answering the call of these orphans and children. Your monthly sponsorship of $90/month is life-saving. Not only does it let them know they’re not alone, but it helps to ensure that they have access to:

• Food to eat
• Safer shelter
• Health care

• Psychological support

How is Islamic Relief delivering aid across Gaza?

Islamic Relief has been on the ground, operating in Palestine since 1997. Our staff in Gaza are using your donations to locally procure food, hygiene supplies, bedding, and any other essential item we can source. They screen and contract local suppliers and partners, who procure either locally or through private trading routes.

Islamic Relief has successfully facilitated aid trucks entering Gaza through various border crossings, which has helped to alleviate some of the pressure on the ground. We have implemented thorough risk assessments, established communication with stakeholders, and devised contingency plans to address unexpected issues promptly.

Working alongside local partners and the World Food Programme, we are presently active in the Middle Area including Deir Al Balah, Zawayda, and Al Nusairat, as well Khan Younis, Rafah, and North Gaza.

From October 7 to September 16, 2024, our team has so far distributed: 

            ⛑️ 2.2 million medical supply items 

            🍴38 million ready-to-eat meals

​            💊Lipid-based nutrient supplement to 125,588 people

            📦 28,210 food packs 

            💵 4,245 food vouchers   

            🥬 Fresh produce to 260,019 households

​            🚰 Clean water to 424,090 people

             🛏️ 45,849 blankets and mattresses

            🧼63,919 hygiene kits + items to 2,820 shelters

            🎈91,840 children and 585 women received psychosocial support

            🩺Health services to 10,294 individuals

How your donations are making a difference to the people of Palestine

Islamic Relief has been working in Palestine since 1997. Our work in Gaza is focused on both emergency relief and development support, ensuring sustainable long-term programs that are transformative for the communities involved.

Some of our key projects over the past few years have included:

• Distributing emergency food packs and facilitating access to clean drinking water
• Creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for 755 farmer families by planting olive trees and providing essential tools for cultivation and irrigation
• Empowering orphans and vulnerable children through education and STEM 

• Enrolling children in recreational therapy and psychosocial services

Following the May 2021 escalations in Gaza, Islamic Relief launched new projects for recovery and rehabilitation, ensuring your donations reached those in most need. These projects included:

• Health: Rehabilitated and equipped 2 primary health care clinics with equipment, resources, tools and training.
• Education: Repaired and rehabilitated 3 schools, and 3 special education centers that were damaged.
• Livelihoods: Supported microbusinesses with cash assistance. 
• Food: Provided cash assistance to families so they can buy household staples.
• Water Sanitation and Hygiene: Rehabilitated wastewater connections in housing units and enhanced access to clean water.

Your support for Gaza is helping our teams to deliver vital medical, food, water, and psychosocial support to Palestinians in need.

Frequently Asked Questions

From the amount of funds spent in Palestine to date to a detailed list of our aid distribution, we have answers to your top questions related to our current emergency response in Gaza! Click here to read our answers to your Frequently Asked Questions.

Islamic Relief works with communities to strengthen their resilience to calamities, and we provide vital emergency aid when disasters occur.

We help the impoverished access basic services, including education, water and sanitation, as well as healthcare. We provide lasting routes out of poverty through our sustainable development schemes. Our integrated approach to progress is transforming communities worldwide.

We tackle the root causes of poverty and make sure that the world’s most vulnerable people have real influence in both our programs and advocacy.

Our Vision

A more compassionate and just world where no one is left behind. 

Our Mission

To mobilize Canadians to transform more lives around the world in the most trusted manner.

Our Values

We remain guided by the timeless values and teachings of the Qur’an and the prophetic example (Sunnah), most specifically:

Sincerity

In responding to poverty and suffering, our efforts are driven by sincerity to God and the need to fulfil our obligations to humanity.

Excellence

Our actions in tackling poverty are marked by excellence in our operations and the conduct through which we help the deserving people we serve.

Compassion

We believe the protection and well-being of every life is of paramount importance and we shall join with other humanitarian actors to act as one in responding to suffering brought on by disasters, poverty and injustice.

Social Justice

Our work is founded on enabling people and institutions to fulfil the rights of the poor and vulnerable. We work to empower the dispossessed towards realizing their God-given human potential and develop their capabilities and resources.

Custodianship

We uphold our duty of custodianship over Earth and its resources, and the trust people place in us as a humanitarian and development practitioner to be transparent and accountable.