Singaporean humanitarian NGO, Mercy Relief has begun its first phase of emergency response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by disbursing SGD$250,000 worth of aid.
Mercy Relief has been monitoring the situation since the armed conflict started on 8 July 2014 and has been in close and constant liaison with its ground partners – the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the Palestinian Wefaq Association (PWA). Both organisations have underscored that food and medical supplies are the immediate needs on the ground for the displaced people in Gaza.
As of 3 August, United Nations reports state that 1,784 people (1,717 Palestinians, 66 Israelis and 1 foreign national) have been killed and over 9,078 Palestinians injured (2,744 children). According to the United Nations Relief & Work Agency (UNRWA), the number of displaced people now exceeds 450,000, and the agency has exhausted its absorption capacity in Gaza City and northern Gaza. Overcrowding at its shelters have raised concern about the outbreak of epidemics and the increased need for food assistance.
Mercy Relief Chief Executive Goh Chin Siang said, “The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is the most dire since Mercy Relief’s first emergency response to the conflict in 2009 and again in 2012. We are once more throwing the full weight of our organization behind this mission and will continue to remain engaged so long as our funding support remains.”
With $400,000 in its Gaza relief funds, Mercy Relief’s initial tranche of food aid worth $60,000 was distributed on 1 August and will serve 6,000 civilian victims for 20 days in Gaza, while the medical supplies worth $100,000 will provide much needed aid due to the high number of injuries.
Mercy Relief has already ensured that a fully equipped ambulance costing $90,000 has been procured and been deployed by Palestinian partner agency PRCS. Together with its ground partners, Mercy Relief will continue to provide support and assistance to the affected civilian victims in their recovery based on the prevailing ground needs.
About Mercy Relief
Mercy Relief is a Singaporean humanitarian organisation which engages in both disaster relief and sustainable development programmes. It was established in 2003 as an independent non-governmental humanitarian charity responding to the human tragedies in Asia. Mercy Relief’s aid programme focuses on providing timely and effective assistance to disaster-stricken communities and has maintained the delivery of emergency aid within 72 hours from the point of appeal for assistance.
In the past 12 years, Mercy Relief has disbursed over S$32 million in aid across 40 disaster relief and 53 sustainable development initiatives. Mercy Relief has impacted an aggregate of 2 million lives in 24 countries and areas, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Yemen.
For more information, you may call us at 6514 6322 or email corporateaffairs@mercyrelief.org
