The conflict in the Middle East escalated once again with the major attack on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas on 7 October 2023. Clashes between Israelis and Palestinians have dominated the political situation on the ground for decades.

The humanitarian situation is worsening, particularly in the Gaza Strip. The need is omnipresent. Tens of thousands of people have lost their lives there since October 2023, including countless children. Many families have lost their homes. They are seeking shelter in the ruins of their homes. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled. According to the United Nations, people in the conflict region are particularly dependent on emergency shelters and protection, medical aid and medicines as well as food and clean drinking water. Around 96 percent of the population is suffering from hunger. The families in Gaza urgently need help.

The spread of the conflict in the Middle East is exacerbating the humanitarian plight of thousands of people in Lebanon and is having a massive impact on the affected civilian population throughout the region. The crisis is leading to a further deterioration in people’s living conditions. Due to the increasing number of attacks from the air and on the ground, hundreds of thousands are fleeing within the country. According to government figures, around one million people are on the run. Many people are also fleeing to Syria.

Figures published as part of World Humanitarian Day make it clear that more aid workers were killed in 2023 than ever before. 280 humanitarian aid workers lost their lives on missions, 163 of them in Gaza. This makes the Gaza Strip currently the deadliest place for aid workers.

Pictures: copyright Goodwill Caravan