“A fragile but vital moment of hope”: The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeals to UK public for donations following Gaza ceasefire agreement
Media Contacts: 07930 999 014 or 07890 839 270 (out of hours)
Donations can be made at dec.org.uk or by calling 0370 60 60 610
Images of the DEC response are available here.
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has renewed its appeal for donations to the Middle East Humanitarian Appeal following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. It presents a critical opportunity for DEC charities and their local partners to scale up their work again, after months of extraordinary challenges delivering aid.
Under the new ceasefire agreement, access for desperately needed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza is expected to increase. Trucks of supplies are standing ready at the borders, and DEC charities and their local partners are preparing now to adapt and expand their programmes to reach more people with lifesaving food, water, medicine and essential supplies.
More than 2 million people, all of Gaza’s population, are facing extreme food insecurity. The UN-backed global hunger monitor, the IPC, in August confirmed famine in Gaza City and the surrounding areas.
The DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal launched in October 2024 and has so far raised more than £50 million, reaching people impacted by conflict in Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank and Syria.
During the temporary ceasefire in Gaza earlier this year, some of the ways DEC charities were able to support people include:
- Providing hundreds of thousands of ready–to-eat meals
- Repairing destroyed and damaged water systems
- Delivering clean water to displaced families across Gaza through trucks
- Providing medical care at field hospitals and clinics
- Supporting local farmers to grow fresh produce
The DEC is renewing its appeal for donations now to help meet the overwhelming levels of need. As people in Gaza look towards an uncertain future, UK donations are providing a lifeline.
Saleh Saeed, Chief Executive of the DEC, said:
“The ceasefire agreement in Gaza marks a fragile but vital moment of hope.
As DEC charities and their local partner organisations prepare to scale their work back up, donations are urgently needed to support the monumental task ahead. Sustained access for humanitarian aid is critical to end the famine and save lives. Please donate now. “
Dr Unni Krishnan, Global Humanitarian Director at DEC charity Plan International, said:
“I have been at a humanitarian warehouse in Cairo with young volunteers packing food for Gaza. Thanks to the DEC appeal and the extraordinary generosity of the UK public, every truck leaving this warehouse is a ray of hope — and every one that enters Gaza is a lifeline. But the needs are immense, and this is only the beginning. With the public’s continued support, we can reach more families with urgent support and help rebuild hope from the ground up.”
People can donate online: dec.org.uk.
- £10 could provide blankets for two people
- £50 could provide emergency food for five families for one week
- £100 could provide emergency shelter for five families
For more information on the appeal, please visit the DEC website.
Stay up to date with the appeal with the DEC on X or on Facebook.
Notes to editors
Media enquiries please call 07930 999 014 or 07890 839 270 (out of hours).
Interview requests: For spokespeople, pictures and b-roll please contact: sgard@dec.org.uk
About the DEC: The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help, and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response.
All 15 of the DEC’s members are responding in the Middle East and will receive funds from this appeal. Some work through trusted local partners.
They are Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK.
The majority of appeal funds spent so far are supporting programmes in Gaza, where more than 2 million people urgently need humanitarian support. Funds are also supporting people in Lebanon, where many are still displaced and facing significant challenges following the ceasefire agreement in November 2024.
Some of the funds are supporting people in Syria, where families fled from Lebanon last year, and in the West Bank, where the escalation in violence has forced many to flee their homes, and had a devastating economic impact.
For the Middle East Humanitarian Appeal, £10 million of donations from the UK public have now been matched by UK Aid Match.
Through UK Aid Match the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) gives the British public the opportunity to have a say in how the UK aid budget is spent whilst boosting the impact of the very best British charities to change and save the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
UK Aid Match enquiries should be directed to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Please call 020 7023 0600 (24-hour).
How to donate:
Online: dec.org.uk
Phone: 0330 123 0333 [Standard network charges apply] Text to give/SMS: for press releases: text SUPPORT to 70676 to donate £10. Other partners should use the specific text keywords they have been provided with by the DEC. [Texts cost £10 plus your standard network rate]
Send a cheque by post to: DEC Middle East Humanitarian Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA