Throughout the DEC funded response in Gaza, cash assistance has offered a lifeline as local market prices have spiraled and access restrictions have led to severe shortages of essential goods"

The flexibility of providing cash allows people to spend money quickly making their own decisions about what their biggest needs are, giving people flexibility in their spending and helping them to regain a sense of independence.

The importance of cash support was no more evident than during the harsh winter months, when flooding and stormy weather soaked through people’s belongings and meant living conditions deteriorated and people urgently needed access to blankets and warm clothing. 

“The DEC has supported multi-purpose cash assistance, and this is a very dignified way to aid the community. So it doesn't end with only food parcels, but people need to rent or to buy things that they need. It really provides a dignified way to the community in Gaza.”

- Anton Asfar of Caritas, CAFOD local partner in Gaza

In Gaza, over 653,000 people were supported, with DEC charities providing food parcels and supporting local partners in distributing hot meals.

In partnership with DEC charities Age International and Christian Aid and supported by DEC funds, a community kitchen, or 'Tekkya', run by local partner PARC in Gaza, helped to distribute meals to displaced families in southern Gaza.

DEC funds helped support the kitchens with operational costs such as fuel, labour and machinery  They supported two Tekkyas run by PARC, providing up to 5,000 meals per day to displaced families.

In the first 18 months of the response, 420,000 people have been supported with access to clean water, something that has been desperately scarce for many families living in Gaza.

Anwar is a water supervisor  delivering DEC funded programmes through Concern Worldwide. He has overseen multiple DEC-funded  projects across Gaza during the conflict:

"We provided safe drinking water to thousands of families during our work with support from the DEC and Concern, and we are still doing the same interventions to relieve the suffering of the people, and the people line in dignity and safety through having this assistance."

 - Anwar, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Supervisor in Gaza

In December last year, working with partners Concern Worldwide carried out vital repairs to a school’s water filtration system, now providing a reliable source of clean drinking water for 1,400 students.

Throughout the conflict, the healthcare system has been decimated, leaving medical facilities overwhelmed and pushed to their very limits.

In 2025, supported by donations to the DEC, volunteers from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the British Red Cross supported the ICRC field hospital in southern Gaza, providing medical care at a time when access to medical facilities was becoming increasingly challenging.

The 60-bed hospital in Rafah remained one of the last fully operational hospitals in the area. It stood as the last line of support during a sharp surge in mass casualty incidents linked to aid distribution sites, which overwhelmed Gaza’s healthcare system.

As well as support like food and water, DEC funds have also helped to support people's psychosocial needs. Using appeal funds, people in Gaza have been able to access mental health and psychosocial support through counselling, psychological first aid and safe spaces for children.

Dr Niveen is a psychologist providing mental health support for children in Gaza. As a mother, she knows first hand the devastating impact the conflict has on children's lives, with many suffering from physical and emotional trauma. 

“We try to provide safe spaces for children, especially when those spaces are no longer available in the community. There is no such space in the displacement camps.” say's Dr Niveen. 

Dr Niveen’s work funded by the DEC through the British Red Cross is helping children heal through expressing their feelings in a safe, supported space.

“We provide a safe space for children at mental health centres where they can express their needs, talents, and the things they enjoy, whether that is sports, football, or any other activity they like.”

Donations to the Middle East Humanitarian Appeal have also contributed to the DEC's Duty of Care fund. The fund was set up to respond to the exceptional needs of aid workers in Gaza after years of devastating conflict. Find out more here. 

This appeal is now closed, but DEC funds will continue to support communities as they prepare for the winter months ahead. most DEC member charities and their partners will continue this critical work long term, and welcome further donations to their own appeals, find out more here.