The Disasters Emergency Committee is launching a “urgent” fund-raising drive to help those “devastated by the conflicts” in the Middle East.
The DEC, a group of 15 of the UK’s largest aid charities, including Oxfam and British Red Cross, says that the scale of the need is “overwhelming”.
The UK government will match donations up to £10m for people in Gaza, Lebanon, and the wider region who have fled their homes.
The Middle East Humanitarian Appeal is being broadcast on the BBC, Sky, ITV and Channel 4 on October 17th.
Since 7 October last, Hamas gunmen have been involved in a violent conflict throughout the Middle East. They killed more than 1,200 people during a surprise attack on southern Israel communities.
According to the Hamas-run regional health ministry, Israeli attacks on Gaza have resulted in the deaths of more than 42,000 Palestinians. The war has also spread to Israel’s northern borders with Lebanon.
The committee launched the campaign by stating that thousands of people are dying from hunger and diseases due to the destruction caused by the conflict.
The DEC stated that “hospitals are struggling to cope and shelters are overcrowded in Lebanon, where the government estimates 1.2 millions people have been displaced”.
It said that “violence” in the West Bank has damaged “water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure”.
Saleh Saeed, chief executive of the DEC, said that member charities were already responding to the situation on the ground in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank but “urgently needed more funds to meet huge levels need”.
He said that the group was also monitoring the situation in Israel where “tens and thousands” of people are displaced, and would provide assistance “if significant humanitarian needs were identified”.
Save the Children, a member of the DEC and its humanitarian director Rachael cummings recently returned to Gaza.
She said: “The rate at which people’s health deteriorates is extraordinary… We see an increase in children with diarrhoea and respiratory problems, as well as jaundice.”
Anneliese Dodds said, “Humanitarian aid is urgently required for the most vulnerable.” Charities are crucial in providing assistance to those who are most affected.
She added: “That’s why we’re matching public donations to Disasters Emergency Committee Middle East Humanitarian Appeal.”
The DEC has issued emergency appeals in response to other conflicts and global disasters, including the war in Ukraine or the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in 2023.
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