How to help those affected by hunger in Gaza: NGOs ask for donations, even when it seems like the worst of times.

The Gaza Strip is on the brink of collapse, and there are no signs that the horror civilians are experiencing will end imminently. The war has lasted almost two years, and the blockade imposed by Israel has lasted more than 140 days. Meanwhile, military offensives continue, and gunfire at the few humanitarian aid delivery points continues, claiming the lives of thousands of people. There is also no progress in negotiations for a ceasefire, and hunger is showing its worst face : in addition to the nearly 60,000 deaths recorded since the start of the war in 2023, some 113 people have died of hunger, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is controlled by Hamas. Of these, 48 victims, 42% of the total, died in July. More than two million people—the entire population of Gaza—are experiencing high levels of food insecurity, and at least half a million are so hungry that their situation is classified as “catastrophe,” the worst according to the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC), an international “thermometer” that measures access to food.

What can a citizen do in the face of such a disaster? Continue donating, continue talking about Palestine and seeking activism , and pressure governments, organizations, and private actors to force Israel to allow the entry of humanitarian aid . These are the three key actions agreed upon by international organizations, NGOs, and civil society platforms consulted by EL PAÍS, who are working tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid and keep the Palestinian tragedy on the public radar.

Although it may seem like all is lost, Raquel Ayora, director general of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Spain, emphasizes that the greatest challenge now is “fighting the perception that nothing can be done.” “We are witnessing something I like to call 'laboratories of cruelty.' They are laboratories for testing the limits of humanity, and part of their strategy is to make us believe that as citizens we have no capacity to react against this, or to help change things,” Ayora told this newspaper via video call.

Donate now (and don't wait for everything to 'calm down')

"It is extremely striking that regarding Palestine, there has not been a single campaign in any large establishment, especially in supermarkets, encouraging donations, as has happened with Ukraine or with the famine in Ethiopia," says Lidón Soriano, member of Yala Nafarroa for Palestine and Rescop (Solidarity Network against the Occupation of Palestine), who on July 6, wearing a kufiya over his shoulders, appeared on the balcony of Pamplona City Hall to participate , along with other representatives of the platform, in the Sanfermines kick-off . “When you go to pay in a supermarket, people might not mind contributing 0.10 cents. However, there has been a deafening silence regarding Palestine,” he adds.

Lucía Martínez Jiménez, UNICEF's international programs specialist, urges people not to wait for an "opportune" moment to donate. "The 'I'm going to wait to donate until everything is calm and they can distribute' may seem useful, but it also wastes time," Martínez explains to EL PAÍS. "We saw this during the ceasefire. Everything that had been donated [allowed] humanitarian aid to be positioned at the crossings. When the ceasefire was signed, it was possible to bring in those 600 trucks a day." MSF recommends the same thing. "We've always had safety stocks inside. When there are windows of opportunity, we put in everything we can. To do that, we need available funds," says the director of MSF-Spain.

It's key to continue contributing because, as the UNICEF specialist explains, some agencies haven't met their funding goals. "UNICEF has a 65% gap in its emergency appeal for Gaza. That means it needs more than $400 million [€341 million] to carry out its operations. That's why a donation really helps," she says.

The Humanitarian Decalogue for Knowing How to Help, published by the Coordinator of Organizations for Development, a network of development NGOs, recommends informing yourself or seeking advice on how and where to help. It is key, for example, to donate through official channels or to recognized institutions. "If you are going to help, make sure it is with something useful" and "verify the source, avoid forwarding false messages" are some of the advice this institution offers.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), one of the main sources of support for the civilian population today, has opened a channel for donations, which can be one-time or regular, through its website . "Donations are entirely intended for the emergency in the Strip and to continue serving the population," UNRWA states in a written response to questions from this newspaper.

We've always had safety stocks inside. When there are windows of opportunity, we put in as much as we can. To do that, we need to have funds available.

Raquel Ayora, Director General of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Spain

Although the blockade currently prevents these organizations from bringing in food—UNRWA, for example, has 6,000 trucks waiting at the border with enough food to feed the Gazan population for three months—the donations do allow for other types of operations within the Gaza Strip. The UN agency, for its part, has 12,000 professionals on the ground still providing healthcare, shelter, water distribution, psychosocial support, and waste management services. MSF, for its part, has been able to perform 1,200 surgeries for bombing wounds, assist 1,000 births, and provide 62,000 consultations in the last four weeks.

Join activism and keep talking about Palestine

In addition to monetary donations, citizens can engage in various forms of activism. Carlos de las Heras, head of Europe and the Middle East at Amnesty International Spain, mentions alternatives such as street and online activism.

Citizens can participate in large demonstrations or mobilizations organized by more than 80 local Amnesty International groups in Spain. "They range from demonstrations to rallies in small towns, talks, conferences, roundtables, and work with universities and institutes, where we encourage debate with young people," explains De las Heras.

UNICEF's international programs specialist agrees that keeping the conversation about Palestine going on social media is also important. "UNICEF, international agencies, and NGOs send out powerful messages on social media, and people can use their own accounts to amplify them and make it clear that the situation is still there and hasn't improved," says Martínez.

All the sources consulted also insist that it is vital to stay informed about what is happening in Palestine and listen to the news, even if it may be tempting to disconnect from reality. “Keep talking about what is happening in Gaza. We cannot allow the suffering of an entire population to be forgotten,” UNRWA urges citizens. For Lidón Soriano, this includes educating themselves about the West Bank . “Talking only about Gaza limits the problem to that small territory,” Lidón maintains.

Activism can also pressure decision-makers to act. The director of MSF-Spain, for example, states that citizens can demand that local governments and autonomous communities do everything possible to accommodate the wounded and critically ill who need medical treatment outside Gaza. “There are 12,000 on the waiting list. The Spanish government has taken in some, but the needs are massive, and citizens can request and support specific requests regarding this,” Ayora states.

Look for ways to pressure Israel

“Giving money is good; it calms our consciences and helps, but it's imperative to stop the genocide.” This is the central message of Lidón, from Yala Nafarroa. For the activist, citizens can pressure political groups to get governments to impose sanctions on Israel and sever relations. “No matter how much money we donate, organizations can't enter Gaza or a village in Nablus [in the West Bank],” she adds.

For Lidón, the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) system is a fundamental tool, one that was also conceived by the Palestinians themselves to "end apartheid and the Israeli colonial system." Pressure, she continues, can be exerted in the form of economic , sports, cultural, or academic boycotts. "Israel uses culture and sports as a political tool to normalize itself as a country," argues Lidón, who insists on the need to emphasize that an athlete, for example, is not just an athlete, but represents their state and, in the case of Israel, "has completed mandatory military service."

Giving money is fine, it calms our consciences and helps, but it is imperative to stop genocide.

Lidón Soriano, from the Navarrese platform Yala Nafarroa.

For Amnesty International, another option is pressure through signatures. The organization is currently running an online petition calling for "Israel to end the genocide." To date, they have collected 227,000 signatures out of a goal of 230,000. According to Carlos de las Heras, the petition demands that the international community take measures "such as an arms embargo or a ban on the import of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank." The signatures, he adds, are periodically forwarded to the authorities along with reports and new research. Although he acknowledges that initiatives related to Palestine, so far, "have not had much success."

The key, for the director of MSF-Spain, is for citizens to continue finding ways to help Palestinian civilians, regardless of any ideological barriers. “There are people who can donate to an organization, there are people who can travel to Gaza to work, there are people who can write a post, there are people who can attend a street demonstration. Everyone has to find their own way to be part of that community, and all are legitimate,” she concludes.