North American Organizations Deliver Aid in Palestine
By Hamza Mohammed
Mar/Apr 2024
As this issue was going to press, 24,927 Palestinians were killed (more than 10,000 being children), over 62,388 wounded, and more than 1.9 million displaced.
Those looking to help victims suffering through this compounding humanitarian crisis often wonder which relief organizations are on the ground in Gaza. Due to blockades and restrictive border controls, many agencies don’t have an actual physical presence there. Some organizations provide support at the Rafah (Egypt) border. There are, however, a few organizations that do have an on-the-ground presence and, as a result, can distribute supplies to those who need them the most.
We look at a few such organizations.
Helping Hand for Relief and Development
In Palestine, Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) provides rehabilitation and physical therapy services for children with disabilities. These initiatives have helped more than 28,000 beneficiaries of emergency relief, assistance for more than 6,000 orphans and educational support for around 500 people.
“The best way to help is donating online and bringing brand new winter jackets and blankets to our local offices,” said Rafid Ahmad, who works in the Dallas branch. “We also accept zakat donations that are spent in accordance with Islamic guidelines.”
HHRD, founded by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) in the early 2000s to provide emergency aid to countries around the world, is one of the relief organizations working with the UN to provide support and deliver supplies to those in need. They collect items like food, water, clothes, medicine, blankets and shoes from those organizations that cannot enter Palestine and bring them to Rafah. They then give these items to the UN, which distribute them in affected areas. The UN shares a report with HHRD and other organizations after the distribution is complete to let them know where the aid was sent.
Headquartered in Southfield, Mich., HHRD is an accredited 4-star charity with more than 15 years of service and 14 ongoing programs in 128 countries. It has 19 regional offices across the U.S.
Islamic Relief
Since being founded in 1993, Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) has been able to assist over 50 million people across the world. This Virginia-based charitable organization has been working in
Palestine for over 20 years and has responded to many events and crises in the area working
with local partners on the ground to provide emergency aid. Currently, IRUSA has been
redirecting funds from other ongoing projects toward emergency aid in Palestine. Through their
efforts, they have been able to distribute medical aid and support to hospitals, and hygiene kits
to people sheltering in places like schools.
As with many other organizations providing support and aid in the region, ongoing blockades
and restrictions have made it increasingly difficult to get aid into affected areas. As a result,
IRUSA is currently using stored supplies in warehouses to provide aid. “The need is great and
getting sufficient supplies quickly has remained difficult for all humanitarian organizations,”
stated Minhaj Hassan, senior communication & media specialist for Islamic Relief USA.
Since October 7, 2023, IRUSA has been able to provide over 2.2 million items to provide medical aid, over 1 million ready-to-eat meals, and has distributed hygiene supplies and kits to over 200 shelters. In total, they have been able to provide aid to a total of over 50,000 children and 200,000 households. They need more supplies and funds to continue to be able to keep up with the rising need for aid.
The Humaniti Foundation
Founded in Markham, Canada, by entrepreneur Shoaib Khan, Humaniti Foundation is now also a registered U.S. charity based in Frisco, Texas. The foundation works with organizations in Palestine and has many long-standing partnerships with registered nonprofits in the region. Staff members work with their partners to deliver emergency aid, despite the dire conditions.
Humaniti has mobilized multiple emergency campaigns focused on providing hot meals, clean water and medical support to Palestinians. Currently, it has been able to deliver food, water, clothes, blankets and fuel, as well as obtain four pallets of medicine and medical supplies, which were to be distributed by their medical partners in Gaza.
“Each passing day restricts aid entering Gaza. Our partners are struggling to provide support, given the dire conditions,” said Humaniti’s Shabnam M. “Thankfully we have been able to provide food parcels and Ready-to-Eat (RTE) meals, hygiene kits, soup, detergent, fresh flour to make bread, mattresses, pillows, children’s winter clothes and water tanks.”
In the coming months, Humaniti will focus on providing medical aid and services in the affected areas. They will be delivering medication, supplies and equipment, as well as supporting the many orthopedic surgeries that need to take place to treat the countless injuries, including amputations and broken bones. They also plan to deploy temporary shelters near the Rafah border to support those trapped in southern Palestine with no shelter.
“The best way to help Humaniti continue to provide relief is to donate on our website,” Shabnam said. “Supplies are available in Egypt and across the region; however, we need to maintain adequate financial resources to ensure our partners can procure the supplies and be ready to transport and distribute within Gaza as needed.”
Human Concern International
Human Concern International (HCI), one of the oldest Canadian Muslim relief charities, has raised over $22 million for Palestine relief. They have been distributing aid in Gaza since Oct. 10, 2023, just three days after the war started. Despite the borders being closed, HCI, which has warehouses inside Gaza, was able to distribute the stored supplies.
In mid-December last year, this stored aid ran out. To continue this important work, Hassan Wadi, director of fundraising, and volunteer Syed Rahman flew to Egypt and filled three trucks — two with food and one with medical supplies — totaling about $3 million in value. Thanks to HCI’s connections, they were able to get the trucks to their warehouses in Palestine.
“The biggest challenge has been getting the aid in,” said Rahman. “There are many restrictions when bringing in supplies. Trucks must be clearly categorized, and types of aid cannot be mixed. If any rules are not followed, there is a risk of being turned around and denied entry.”
Even after there is a ceasefire, a tremendous amount of work will need to be done to rebuild Gaza. While Muslims across the world are praying and protesting, there needs to be a steady stream of donations as well. Gazans have already lost more than one can imagine.
Heroic Hearts
Heroic Hearts, a Chicago-based charity, has had teams in Gaza for several years, most of which include native Gazan residents. Embedded in the region since the beginning of the recent conflict, they have been traveling from the north to the south of Gaza, providing aid.
The organization has developed multiple relief programs, among them delivering food parcels containing mostly non-perishable foods, winter clothing and supplies, along with hygiene items, to the displaced. Heroic Hearts also has clean water tanks to deliver fresh water to people sheltering at sites in Gaza. Their established soup kitchens in Deir al-Balah and Rafah provide hot meals to thousands.
Heroic Hearts faces many challenges. Making deliveries can be very risky, and their ground teams have to be very careful, ready to move and take shelter at a moment’s notice.
“The number of people in need of aid is also very sad and difficult to navigate. It seems as though we are climbing a mountain that never stops growing,” said Sara Hassan (vice president, Heroic Hearts). “The cost of supplies has also skyrocketed, so it has been a challenge to continue to collect funds to sustain ongoing projects.”
Heroic Hearts currently has multiple trucks of supplies in Egypt awaiting clearance to enter. They are working on collecting hygiene kits and opening soup kitchens in Gaza. They also are looking for individuals to partner with to create more dynamic fundraising events, such as organizing sporting events, to help support their efforts.
Siraj Muhammed, who founded the organization in 2016, has 10+ years of experience in international relief. Now serving as its president, he is implementing its vision and overseas operations.
Donate online at:
hchearts.org/palestine-emergency-relief
wearehumaniti.org/causes/gaza-relief/
humanconcern.org/palestine-relief
Hamza Mohammed, a Farragut High School in Tennessee, is an avid reader and enjoys writing in his free time.
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