Nearly a year of horrific war in Gaza has passed since the attacks of October 7th. The death toll is estimated to be 41,000 — a staggering number that includes 16,500 children. More than half of Gaza’s homes are damaged or destroyed, and of the 36 operational healthcare facilities in the region, only 16 are still partially functional. This September marks the second year that school-aged children in Gaza are without access to education, with 80 per cent of schools and universities damaged or destroyed in attacks by Israeli Defense Forces.
Throughout a year of siege, Israeli forces have ordered evacuation regularly, but there is ‘nowhere safe to go’ for residents of Gaza, the BBC reported last year.
‘The humanitarian support system in Gaza is close to total collapse’, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in July.
Alliance wanted to understand how philanthropy across Palestine and the Arab region has been responding to catastrophe in Gaza. Below, we share reaction, comment, and analysis from Palestinian philanthropists, community foundations, and infrastructure bodies about the impact of war on Palestinian society and visions for the road ahead.
The role of Arab foundations in responding to the crisis in Gaza
Arab Foundations Forum CEO Naila Farouky discusses the response of Arab philanthropy to crisis in Gaza from the perspective of a regional infrastructure body. AFF oversees the AFF Pooled Fund, which channels funding from individuals to community-based organisations in Gaza. It has been working with donors with a direct Donor Appeal that was launched immediately and responsively following October 7.
‘…the crisis has underscored the importance of collaboration and partnership in philanthropy,’ Farouky writes. ‘No single foundation or organisation or individual can address the complex challenges facing Gaza alone. The collective response to date from foundations and philanthropists demonstrates the power of collaboration – both within the region and with international partners. By working together, Arab philanthropists can pool resources, share expertise, and amplify their impact, ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most and contributes to lasting change.’
On navigating a path for community philanthropy in Palestine
Alliance magazine’s Charles Keidan and Charlotte Kilpatrick talk to Soheir Asaad, advocacy director of Rawa Palestinian Communities Fund, about
‘To those in philanthropy who want to demonstrate deep solidarity with the Palestinian people, I say: come to us. We Palestinians who are linked to the grassroots know our reality. We know what’s needed. We know how to do the work. We know how harm was created by philanthropy, and we know how to avoid this harm. We know how to build a relationship based on trust. We are on the ground,’ Asaad says.
Photos of grassroots initiatives in Gaza, courtesy of Ain Media, a production company founded by photographers Yasser Mortaja and Rushdi Sarraj. Yasser was killed by the Israeli army during the March of Return in 2018, and Rushdi was killed by the Israeli army in Gaza in 2023.
In Palestine, shifting power means connecting with a community under seige
Yazan Shrouf of the Dalia Association Palestine explains the meaning of shifting power in a Palestinian context.
‘To #ShiftThePower in the Palestinian context, we need to address the struggle for basic rights and resources critical for survival. Many layers of power need to be shifted, for Palestinians to be able to pursue sustainable, durable, community-led development which leaves an impact on what matters to the community’, Shrouf writes.
On resources, space, and priorities for philanthropy in Palestine
Palestinian philanthropist Najwa Al-Qattan, who serves as Chair of the AM Qattan Foundation, shares an essay putting today’s crisis into historical context and challenges philanthropy to find the strength to make meaningful change.
‘My early reaction to Hamas’s attack was of fear, anger, and shame. Fear at the certainty that Israel would fiercely retaliate against Gazan civilians; anger that Hamas had handed Benjamin Netanyahu a solution to his legal and political troubles at home and the excuse to wage a criminal war in Gaza; and shame that Hamas had perpetrated violence and death upon scores of Israeli civilians. My sentiments evolved with the war. My fear is now fueled by the certainly of Israel’s genocidal intentions; my anger directed at the State of Israel and its supporters, particularly the United States (as a Palestinian-American and taxpayer); and my shame at the moral failure of governments and institutions all around,’ Al-Qattan writes.
Rebuilding the Palestinian healthcare system will take decades
Harriet Scott Head of Philanthropy at Medical Aid for Palestinians describes the organisation’s emergency response in Gaza.
‘While donors may be hesitant to invest in activities like this before a ceasefire, decisive action is needed now, and it is our humanitarian duty to work to ensure there are health services in Gaza. Israel’s military attacks on healthcare are systematic and so it is essential that agencies like MAP, in partnership with donors, work to preserve services and prevent Gaza from being made uninhabitable,’ Scott writes.
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