World Jewish Relief to support Israel’s humanitarian approach in Gaza

World Jewish Relief is teaming up with a US-based organisation to provide aid to Gaza. 

The announcement by World Jewish Relief (WJR) was made on Sunday by Col Elad Goren, head of civil affairs at COGAT, the Israeli government agency responsible for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Goren emphasised the importance and necessity of Israel’s humanitarian approach, highlighting that the official Israeli government policy is to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza through trusted partners – not because of international pressure but because these are the values of the state of Israel and the Jewish people.

WJR chief executive Paul Anticoni said it was encouragement and approval from COGAT and the Israel authorities that led to the decision to provide targeted support to a partner in Gaza, to deliver lifesaving maternal and infant healthcare to mothers and babies.

WJR will work alongside International Medical Corps (IMC), a US-based global humanitarian responder. After October 7th, IMC worked to deliver support to Israelis, through the JDC, and to Palestinians in Gaza with the support of COGAT.

International Medical Corps vets and hires all their own staff, and do not use Gazan Ministry of Health staff in their field hospitals. They also do not treat armed combatants. All staff on the ground must go through a level of security checks to meet US funding requirements.

Funding has been provided by a small number of private donors specifically for this purpose.

Anticoni also described the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting the people of Israel after the horrific events of October 7th.  After not having worked with partners in the country for more than two decades, the World Jewish Relief Board quickly decided to direct support to partners that closely aligned to its areas of expertise. This support is now being extended to ensure the Israel Trauma Coalition can continue to provide essential psychological and trauma support to all Israelis in the aftermath of October 7th.

Anticoni said: “For the last 91 years World Jewish Relief has proudly stood shoulder to shoulder with communities in crisis across the world. We have taken a careful and considered approach to this decision, which we hope our supporters will recognise, and are proud to be working with Israel to help the country we love advance its interests.”

• World Jewish Relief is not appealing for funds for this work and will not use any additional funds from other donors for this initiative