Sa7ten Annual Report

2025

This is a year told month by month. The team worked while displaced, under bombardment, through communication blackouts and hyperinflation and the collapse of nearly every system a city runs on. What follows is not a list of metrics. It is what Sa7ten did, in Gaza, when almost nothing else was possible.

Impact overview

Our solidarity in 2025

We fed families

600,000+ liters of clean water
50,000 hot meals served
2,000 food packages
650kg of fresh vegetables
Infant supplies for 300 families
700 blankets across 6 clothing drives

We built

11 community kitchens opened
5 community ovens
2 sanitation blocks
6 homes rebuilt
3 days clearing and rebuilding roads in Northern Gaza

We came together

6 Ramadan gatherings
5 Eid celebrations
3 Mawlid celebrations
7 graduations and celebrations for kids
School supplies for kids

We showed up

16 blood donation drives
4 hospital runs, getting patients where they needed to be
$24,500 sent directly to families in one displacement cycle

January

January demanded two things of us at once. Rebuild what had been destroyed, and sustain the daily survival of families in the north. The team raised a fourth sanitation block, started a fifth, rebuilt a prayer room from rubble, put up a school tent, and kept food, winter coats, cash and medical transport moving through the camps while the bombardment and the cold closed in on everyone.

Sanitation block four, built from the ground up

Sa7ten raised its fourth sanitation facility in Gaza since operations began. The team cleared the site, welded the structure, ran the plumbing, laid the flooring and fenced the perimeter, building fourteen fully equipped stalls from rust-treated zinco steel. On January 10 we closed the build with a small celebration for the children in the camp.

Winter aid and medical transport through a besieged north

The team moved winter clothing, cash stipends, dates and small gifts to displaced families across northern Gaza, and held gatherings for the children with face paint, music and dancing. In response to an urgent public appeal, we established and fully equipped a medical tent within the north's largest refugee camp. We arranged transport for kidney failure patients to the few hospitals still functioning, supported cancer patients with cash and care, and ran rounds for amputees and the severely injured who needed constant attention.

Sanitation block five, in the second-largest camp in the north

The team broke ground on another sanitation block in the second-largest refugee camp in northern Gaza. Walls of zinco steel, welded steel beams framing the structure, brick flooring underfoot.

A school tent raised, teachers honored

We raised a tent to serve as a school and carried school materials in for the children. Later in the month, we organized an evening honoring teachers and students, with awards and activities for the kids who had kept showing up through everything.

Food parcels, cash stipends, winter jackets

We ran food parcels to displaced families across several days, moved cash stipends and care packages into the households who needed them most, and carried jackets to residents in the north as temperatures dropped further.

A prayer room raised from the rubble of a mosque

The team surveyed the remains of the mosques in northern Gaza and issued a public call for aid to rebuild. We cleared the rubble, framed the structure of a prayer room, and installed toilets and plumbing so the space could function.

Refugee camp assessment in Beit Lahia

A request reached us to build a refugee camp in Beit Lahia. The team surveyed the land, assessed feasibility, and began clearing ground for what would become a kitchen, toilets and shower facilities for displaced families.

February

In February, we prioritized building structured shelters. Against mass displacement and total housing destruction in the north, Sa7ten completed its first organized refugee camp, a concrete move from emergency tents to more sustainable living. In parallel, we expanded water access into neighborhoods where wells had been destroyed, advanced construction on Al-Shuhada Mosque, rehabilitated historic mosques that were still standing, and delivered people in urgent medical need to the few places that could still treat them.

Water into neighborhoods where the wells were gone

We ran water trucks into communities across northern Gaza where wells and plumbing infrastructure had been destroyed, reaching multiple areas with tank-mounted deliveries. Water was the single most critical need that week, because essential infrastructure had been systematically targeted. In the same stretch, we moved individuals in need of urgent medical care to facilities that could still receive them.

Al-Shuhada Mosque rises, historic mosques rehabilitated

In early February we advanced construction on Al-Shuhada Mosque with concrete shipments, flooring preparation and structural pouring. The team raised tent enclosures to give the structure temporary walls and a roof while work continued. Elsewhere in the north, we cleared land for additional mosque construction and rehabilitated historic mosques through structural renovations and the installation of new carpeting.

Sa7ten 1 Refugee Camp: our first organized camp in the north

In response to mass displacement and the total destruction of housing in the north, Sa7ten broke ground on its first organized refugee camp. The team cleared the land of rubble, raised tents through severe weather, and kept adding more as the camp grew. In parallel, we installed metal stalls, excavated plumbing channels, and drove the sewage and restroom work through its final stages. We secured the site with a perimeter wall and prepared the ground for communal kitchens and functioning sanitation, a concrete shift from emergency response toward structured shelter.

In response to mass displacement and the total destruction of housing in the north, Sa7ten commenced construction of its first organized refugee camp in northern Gaza.

The team cleared the land of rubble and prepared the site. Despite severe weather, we raised the first tents and added more as the camp expanded. We set plans in motion to replicate the camp in other northern areas.

Camp infrastructure advanced with the installation of metal stalls, the excavation of plumbing channels, and the final stages of sewage and restroom facilities. We secured the site with a perimeter wall and prepared the grounds for communal kitchens and functioning sanitation services.

Al-Amal School graduation, honoring kids who kept showing up

We supported the Al-Amal School graduation and commemoration event by organizing activities for children, including songs, dances, and a clown performance. The evening recognized the kids who had kept showing up to school through prolonged violence and displacement, and the importance of holding space for joy when everything else was being taken.

March

March was a month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr activities despite being in the midst of a famine. Our initiatives centered on making sure families had food to eat, while holding dignity at the center of every round. We delivered Iftar meals and food parcels across the north, launched a grocery store initiative for vulnerable families, distributed cash stipends to displaced people and families of martyrs for urgent household expenses, ran multiple water rounds across the north against acute shortages, and closed the month with Eid clothing, sweets, and a day of activities for the children.

Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and a grocery store for the most vulnerable

March revolved around Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, held together for families under siege. Early in the month, the team moved school materials, food parcels and Iftar meals into displaced households and launched a grocery store initiative for the most vulnerable. Multiple water runs pushed through the north against acute shortages. Cash stipends reached displaced families and families of martyrs to cover urgent household expenses. By the end of the month, Eid clothing and sweets were in the hands of children who had nothing new, and the first day of Eid itself was given over to activities for the kids.

Throughout the month we moved school materials, food parcels and Iftar meals to families across northern Gaza, and launched a grocery store initiative for vulnerable households. Multiple water runs moved through the Eid response to address acute shortages in the north.

Direct cash stipends reached displaced people and the families of martyrs for urgent household expenses. At the end of the month, the team carried Eid al-Fitr clothing and sweets out to displaced families, and turned the first day of Eid over to activities for the children.

April

April was the month the kitchens became a network. Operations centered on a dense web of community cooking sites across western Gaza, sustained through deep coordination with displaced communities and paired with water runs and oven construction. To combat extreme price inflation, where cooking oil alone surged to $85 per liter, the team leveraged long-term supplier relationships to strategically source staples like rice and pasta, keeping the flow of food moving despite scarcity. This logistical foundation let our teams rotate daily across the region, making agile, real-time decisions from direct field assessments and urgent calls from camp officials. Operating under severe exhaustion, we refused to compromise on meal quality, prioritizing nutritional, high-quality food so that the families we served were met with respect and care.

Four communal ovens raised in northern camps

The team completed the construction of four communal ovens in northern Gaza camps, permanent cooking infrastructure for communities that had lost every means of preparing a hot meal. In the same stretch of days, we ran a fresh bread distribution event for Palestinian families who had lost their homes or family members, held a shaving and haircutting event aimed at restoring a sense of dignity and normality for displaced men and boys, and organized the Childhood Happiness Project, a day built specifically to provide emotional support and joy for children from families who had been displaced or lost loved ones.

Between April 7 and 10 the team completed construction of four communal ovens in northern Gaza camps, giving communities without functioning infrastructure a permanent way to bake bread.

On April 5 and 6 we ran a bread distribution event focused on providing freshly baked bread to Palestinian families who had lost their homes or family members. On April 7, a shaving and haircutting event for displaced families in North Gaza was organized to restore a sense of dignity and normality.

Also on April 7, we organized the Childhood Happiness Project in North Gaza, specifically designed to provide emotional support and joy to children from families who had been displaced or lost loved ones.

Community kitchens launch across western Gaza

We launched two community kitchens in western Gaza and ran widespread water distributions across multiple camps by truck. Operations then expanded fast: two more community kitchens in the Al-Jawazat area, one in central Gaza, and six additional kitchens across western Gaza camps. By the end of the month, the network could rotate daily serving sites and absorb sudden shifts in where the need was highest.

Between April 11 and 25, we launched two community kitchens in western Gaza and conducted widespread water distribution across multiple camps by truck. Operations then expanded with two more community kitchens in the Al-Jawazat area, one in central Gaza, and six additional kitchens across western Gaza camps, forming the backbone of our April response.

Alongside the kitchens, we ran a shaving and haircutting event for displaced men and boys in the north, a small but deliberate act of dignity and care in the middle of everything else.

Al-Azhar University area: feeding 1,000 families under total price collapse

Our community kitchen in the Al-Azhar University area provided essential food access to 1,000 families across seven major camps and centers. The team held daily kitchen rotations together through a catastrophic collapse in purchasing power, most sharply a 1,114% increase in the price of cooking oil (from $7 to $85 per liter). Single-event transportation costs ran $1,200. Cash commissions reached 28%. Total operation cost: $24,000, with $3,500 in outstanding merchant debt carried on vendor trust alone.

Our team provided essential food access to 1,000 families across seven major camps and centers in the Al-Azhar University area, sustaining daily kitchen rotations through a $24,000 total cost and an outstanding merchant debt of $3,500.

Inflation: the team navigated a collapse in purchasing power, most notably a 1,114% increase in the price of cooking oil (from $7 to $85 per liter).

Logistical barriers: we managed high-cost operations, including $1,200 for single-event transportation and cash commission rates of up to 28%, through vendor trust and daily adaptation rather than capital reserves.

Islamic University Complex: 27 pots for 6,000 displaced people

In the final week of April, the team launched a large-scale cooking operation at the Islamic University Complex, mobilizing 25 laborers to prepare 27 large pots of pasta for over 1,000 displaced families, more than 6,000 people, from Shuja'iyya, East Zeitoun, and Jabalia. Despite severe market scarcity and extreme price inflation, the $24,000 initiative refused to compromise on meal quality, prioritizing nutritional, dignified food over cheaper alternatives. We held the operation together through vendor trust and $3,500 in outstanding debt to meet the urgent needs of the community.

In the final week of April, a large-scale cooking operation launched at the Islamic University Complex, mobilizing 25 laborers to prepare 27 large pots of pasta for over 1,000 displaced families (6,000+ individuals) from neighborhoods including Shuja'iyya, East Zeitoun, and Jabalia.

Despite severe market scarcity and extreme price inflation, the $24,000 initiative prioritized meal quality and dignity over lower-cost alternatives, holding operations together through vendor trust and $3,500 in outstanding debt to meet the urgent needs of the community.

May

In May, food insecurity deepened further under unrelenting siege conditions, yet our team refused to stop. We pushed direct, dignified assistance through financial extraction, hyperinflation, and restricted aid entry. Kitchen operations served hot meals across camps in western and central Gaza while markets swung hourly and staples vanished without warning. Mid-month, after open serving sites grew dangerously overcrowded, we shifted tactics: from hot meals at fixed sites to fresh vegetables moved tent to tent, through narrow alleyways and rubble, to families the formal aid structures had never reached.

Al-Jawazat Camp: hot meals for 320 displaced families under market collapse

In early May the team served hot meals to all 320 displaced families in Al-Jawazat Camp, primarily from Shuja'iyya and Al-Tuffah, using a closed-site model to maintain security and organizational control. We cooked approximately 105 kg of pasta with whatever spices and chicken stock were available, because extreme market shortages meant essential staples like onions and corn simply could not be sourced. We coordinated directly with camp administration to implement a structured, registration-based serving process, which prevented the overcrowding and tension that open public distributions invite.

In early May the team served hot meals to all 320 displaced families (primarily from Shuja'iyya and Al-Tuffah) in the Al-Jawazat Camp, using a closed-site model to ensure security and organizational control.

We cooked approximately 105 kg of pasta using available spices and chicken stock. Extreme market shortages meant essential staples like onions and corn remained unavailable for the meal.

Market volatility: we navigated severe procurement constraints, including hourly price fluctuations for cooking oil and supplier uncertainty caused by ongoing fuel shortages and import restrictions.

Operational strategy: we coordinated directly with camp administration to implement a structured, registration-based serving process, which prevented the overcrowding and tension often associated with open public distributions.

The day demonstrated the effectiveness of the camp-based model in improving fairness and safety, and reinforced that consistent vendor monitoring and ingredient flexibility are vital for maintaining rapid response capacity during economic instability.

Two kitchens in one day: Al-Jawazat Periphery and Mukhayyam Sanad

On May 10 the team ran two community kitchens simultaneously. At the Al-Jawazat Periphery in western Gaza City we served approximately 400 to 420 families (around 2,800 people), exceeding our initial population estimates because demand was higher than anyone had predicted. Ten large pots of short-grain rice, enriched with in-house chickpeas, chili and local spices to deliver a calorie-dense, high-protein meal. Simultaneously in central Gaza, a second kitchen at Mukhayyam Sanad reached 320 families (about 2,000 people) around the Al-Shuhada Mosque with eight large pots of traditional pasta.

Al-Jawazat Periphery: this community kitchen served approximately 400 to 420 families (around 2,800 individuals) in western Gaza City, exceeding initial population estimates due to high demand. The team prepared ten large pots of short-grain rice, enriched with in-house chickpeas, chili and local spices to give families a calorie-dense, high-protein meal.

Market volatility: we strategically sourced 200 kg of short-grain rice at $30/kg to maintain quality while avoiding long-grain alternatives priced at $60 to $70/kg. Operational strategy: extreme crowd pressure and surges forced us to adopt a rapid documentation approach to prioritize safety during high-density serving. We moved 200 kg of prepared food out to families despite significant instability and the loss of staff equipment during the serving surge.

Mukhayyam Sanad: we reached 320 families (about 2,000 individuals) in central Gaza, focusing on the area surrounding Al-Shuhada Mosque. We cooked eight large pots of traditional pasta, maintaining a consistent nutritional standard across both locations. A daily procurement strategy let us navigate price spikes without compromising ingredient quality. A smaller scale and clearer camp boundaries allowed for a highly organized and efficient serving process, reinforcing community trust through a stable operation that fulfilled every commitment we made to the central Gaza population that day.

Emergency food distribution in Southern Gaza City

On May 11 we ran a hot meal round near the Haydar Abdel Shafi Center and Al-Azhar University, specifically targeting dispersed, non-camp displaced communities who had no access to any formal aid structure. With rice prices surging, we adapted by preparing pasta as a more affordable alternative to maintain food presence and quality despite severe ingredient scarcity and high inflation. The scale of attendance far exceeded expectations. Rapid word of mouth drew residents from distant neighborhoods, and overwhelming demand prematurely exhausted our supplies. High crowd density and the lack of controlled entry points in open urban areas created significant operational risk. Following a field evaluation of that volatility, the team made a strategic shift toward uncooked vegetable packages (potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant) to reduce physical risks and improve site security. Field observations that week captured a stark shift in community sentiment, from long-term recovery to pure survival, with residents prioritizing immediate daily sustenance above all other considerations.

Late May: fresh produce and 1,000 sandwiches moved tent to tent

On May 14 the team moved from hot meal service to a targeted round of 330 kg of fresh vegetables across informal and self-managed tent settlements in western and central Gaza, reaching 120 families. This shift prioritized safety and dignity after the previous crowding incidents, putting tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and high-value onions into households that had not accessed fresh produce in nearly two months. On May 17, we ran a mobile sandwich operation, 1,000 prepared sandwiches to families displaced from Jabalia and Beit Lahia, pre-packed in bags of seven or eight and moved shelter to shelter through a single vehicle to avoid public crowding. Days later, on May 21, a second fresh food round across central and western Gaza City, a moment when flour prices peaked at $120 per kg and families were being forced to grind pasta and lentils into bread substitutes. We used a discreet, door-to-door strategy through narrow alleyways and rubble to reach previously unserved families, keeping each round quiet and safe. At the end of May, the team moved water supplies and vegetable parcels into families displaced across the north.

Strategic shift to fresh produce (May 14): we moved from hot meal service to a targeted round of 330 kg of fresh vegetables across informal and self-managed tent settlements in western and central Gaza, reaching 120 families. This shift prioritized safety and dignity following previous crowding incidents, putting tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and high-value onions into households that had not accessed fresh produce in nearly two months.

Logistics of fresh produce: despite a total cost of $14,960 due to hyper-inflationary market prices (onions at $70/kg), the team ran a tent-to-tent model for isolated families, making sure each household received approximately 3 kg of assorted produce without the risks of large-scale cooking events.

Mobile sandwich operation (May 17): 1,000 prepared sandwiches moved out to families displaced from the north (Jabalia, Beit Lahia) using a decentralized mobile approach. Pre-packed bags of seven to eight sandwiches ran shelter to shelter from a single vehicle, keeping the work rapid and controlled and avoiding public crowding. The team navigated extreme financial constraints including a 29% commission on incoming funds and rising bread costs (from $2,900 to $4,000 for the event), with total burden exceeding $12,000. Field testimonies that week captured the profound psychosocial exhaustion of families facing constant bombardment and hunger, reinforcing the team's commitment to go hungry and eat with the people.

Emergency fresh vegetables (May 21): we ran a vital fresh food round across central and western Gaza City to combat extreme famine conditions and market failure, where flour prices peaked at $120 per kg and families were forced to grind pasta and lentils into bread substitutes. Total spend reached over $11,000 (including $7,200 for produce and up to $2,840 in informal transfer taxes) to move tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and green peppers into the hands of children, the elderly and the injured in destroyed residential zones and makeshift camps. We navigated severe hyperinflation and high logistical overheads, including a $1,080 transport and packaging cost, while addressing the real crisis of total bread and flour unavailability in the region.

Water and vegetables (May 30): at the end of the month, the team moved essential water supplies and vegetable parcels to families displaced across northern Gaza.

June

June pushed our response beyond food and water into psychosocial support, child-centered programming, and some of the hardest water runs of the year. Against the total destruction of wells and water lines, the team moved tens of thousands of liters into besieged neighborhoods, coordinated Eid clothing so children could choose their own, and built back-to-back festivals that turned shelter courtyards into temporary safe spaces for kids facing daily bombardment. Hyperinflation and 45% commission fees cut deep into every round, but the work did not stop.

Eid al-Adha clothing: new clothes, chosen by the children themselves

Our team organized a two-day clothing distribution for approximately 320 families (serving 700 to 800+ children), including families of martyrs, the wounded, and displaced households across west and central Gaza. We partnered with the Al-Huwaiti Commercial Store to let children select their own clothing sets and shoes in a real shopping environment, reinforcing agency and dignity at a moment when almost nothing else was under their control. Despite severe inflation and security constraints that limited additional items like sweets, the initiative gave many children their first new clothing since their initial displacement, and a rare moment of joy and reprieve.

Our team organized a two-day clothing run for approximately 320 families (serving 700 to 800+ children) including families of martyrs, the wounded, and displaced households across west and central Gaza.

We partnered with the Al-Huwaiti Commercial Store, allowing children to select their own clothing sets and shoes in a shopping environment to reinforce a sense of agency and dignity.

Inclusive model: combined pre-identified lists with spontaneous street-based outreach to make sure the most visible and vulnerable were not overlooked.

Impact amid scarcity: despite severe inflation and security constraints that limited additional items like sweets, the initiative gave many children their first new clothing since their initial displacement.

Emergency water into western Gaza, paired with a post-Eid gathering

The team moved 21,000 liters (21 cubic meters) of potable water via mobile trucks across three high-density neighborhoods in western Gaza (Tel al-Hawa, Bijwa, and Al-Nasr), serving over 1,000 individuals lacking piped water access. We pushed the round through despite heightened social tensions and earlier attempts to obstruct operations, relying on deep community trust and pre-paid logistics to hold a safe, incident-free round without external security. We paired the water round with a post-Eid children's gathering featuring cultural performances and music, reinforcing our presence and giving families a moment of psychological reprieve during a period of significant regional pressure.

We brought a total of 21,000 liters (21 m³) of potable water via mobile trucks across three high-density neighborhoods in western Gaza: Tel al-Hawa, Bijwa, and Al-Nasr, serving over 1,000 individuals lacking piped water access.

Operational resilience: we proceeded despite heightened social tensions and earlier attempts to obstruct operations, using long-built community trust and pre-paid logistics to ensure a safe, incident-free round without needing external security.

Community engagement: we paired the water run with a post-Eid children's gathering featuring cultural performances and music, reinforcing institutional presence and psychological resilience during a period of significant regional pressure.

Joy in Motion, and three simultaneous children's festivals

In mid-June the team organized two back-to-back recreational festivals at the Little Angel Kindergarten and the Tanmiya Shelter Center, transforming shelter courtyards into temporary safe spaces with DJ music, clown routines, and traditional Dabke performances for children and caregivers displaced from nearby neighborhoods. Weeks later, we ran three simultaneous festivals across Yarmouk Camp Stadium, Palestine Stadium, and Hikma Displacement Camp, reaching approximately 2,000 families through a rapid four-day mobilization. Partnering with the Raji'in for Kids entertainment group, we built music, dance, and collective celebration as a vital reprieve from survival pressures for kids facing daily displacement and insecurity.

Joy in Motion Eid celebrations: the team organized two back-to-back recreational festivals at the Little Angel Kindergarten and the Tanmiya Shelter Center, providing structured, movement-based celebrations for children and caregivers. Shelter courtyards became temporary safe spaces featuring DJ music, clown routines, and traditional Dabke performances.

Major children's festivals: three simultaneous festivals across Yarmouk Camp Stadium, Palestine Stadium, and Hikma Displacement Camp, reaching approximately 2,000 families through a four-day mobilization. Partnered with 'Raji'in for Kids' to provide a vital reprieve from survival pressures through music, dance, and collective celebration. Toys and prizes were handed out after procurement challenges forced a shift from the initial plan of clothing. The $1,500 USD initiative received strong support from parents and elders.

Crisis water operations through the collapse of wells and water lines

June's water work opened with the 88th run of the Water Provision Project in North Gaza and escalated into one of the hardest stretches of the year. Between June 14 and 23 the team dispatched thirteen water trucks carrying approximately 78,000 liters of potable water into Al-Nasr, Tal al-Hawa near Al-Quds Hospital, and the high-risk Street 10 area, triggered by direct appeals from camp managers and neighborhood leaders. We operated this amid the total destruction of wells and water lines, high fuel scarcity, and extreme inflation (sugar reached $300 per kg, forcing many other providers to cease service entirely). Direct spend reached $26,950, further burdened by a 45% commission on incoming funds. On June 28, five more trucks (35,000 liters) reached Al-Mina, Al-Azhar and Al-Nasr, with an unplanned fifth truck mobilized to meet an urgent field appeal despite severe liquidity shortages.

June 1: the 88th run of the Water Provision Project in North Gaza.

June 14 to 23, crisis water operations: 13 water trucks carrying approximately 78,000 liters of potable water to high-need zones, including Al-Nasr, Tal al-Hawa (near Al-Quds Hospital), and the high-risk Street 10 area. Youth mobilization teams managed crowds and made sure residents were ready to fill containers immediately. Operated amid the total destruction of wells and water lines, high fuel scarcity, and extreme inflation (sugar at $300/kg forced many other providers to cease service). Direct spend of $26,950, burdened by a 45% commission on incoming funds.

June 28, critical water: five water trucks (35,000 liters) to besieged areas including Al-Mina, Al-Azhar, and the Al-Nasr neighborhood, including the Gaza Al-Izzeh and Ard Al-Insan camps. Water prices running $250 to $270 per cubic meter, fuel costs climbing, and we mobilized an unplanned fifth truck to meet an urgent field appeal despite severe liquidity shortages.

July

In July, we expanded our response beyond food and water into critical medical system support, addressing life-saving shortages amid infrastructure collapse. We moved water into besieged neighborhoods through the ruins of pumping stations, put direct cash into the hands of caregivers at Al-Rantisi Hospital so parents could buy the medicines and infant formula their children needed, and organized the first large-scale blood donation drive of the crisis period against a hospital system running on nothing. Three children's festivals ran in parallel to hold space for the kids while the adults held everything else together.

Water into Al-Nasser against the collapse of pumping infrastructure

On July 2 we dispatched a water truck carrying 7,000 liters to the Al-Nasser neighborhood in western Gaza, in immediate response to a direct community appeal. We had intended to deliver a higher volume, but operations were restricted by the collapse of local infrastructure, leaving only two functioning water stations active in all of western Gaza. A parallel urgent request from Tel al-Hawa could not be fulfilled, underscoring the gap between community need and available capacity. Two days later, on July 4, we ran a coordinated operation to Al-Nasser and the Haider Abdel Shafi roundabout, delivering 14,000 liters through a precise one-hour serving window under active bombardment in nearby Al-Tuffah. The volumes were still not enough for what the neighborhoods needed.

July 2: a water truck carrying 7,000 liters went to the Al-Nasser neighborhood in western Gaza following a direct community appeal. Though the team intended higher volume, operations were restricted by the collapse of local infrastructure, with only two functioning water stations left in all of western Gaza. Due to the destruction of pumping facilities and extreme queues at the remaining stations, a parallel urgent request from Tel al-Hawa could not be fulfilled. Staple prices were reaching extreme heights, sugar at $300 per kg and flour at $1,800 per bag.

July 4: two water trucks to Al-Nasser and Haider Abdel Shafi roundabout. By coordinating with residents in advance, 14,000 liters of water moved during a precise one-hour window. The work happened under high-risk conditions including intense bombardment in nearby Al-Tuffah. Field reports noted the volume was still insufficient to meet overwhelming local demand. Project spend: $2,100 to $3,700.

Three children's festivals across displacement-affected sites

We organized three large-scale children's festivals across displacement-affected sites, partnering with an entertainment troupe of clowns and Dabke performers to deliver music, dance, and organized competitions for kids whose daily reality was anything but this. We moved approximately 2,000 invitation cards through the camps ahead of time to ensure high attendance, creating temporary spaces of safety and shared celebration for children and their families. Face painting and small prizes were a structured moment of relief, a meaningful boost in morale for both the children and their caregivers.

The team organized three large-scale festivals across displacement-affected sites, coordinating with an entertainment troupe of clowns and Dabke performers to provide music, dance, and organized competitions.

Approximately 2,000 invitation cards went out ahead of time, ensuring high attendance and creating temporary spaces of safety and shared celebration for children and their families.

Psychosocial impact: structured moments of joy and relief through face painting and small prizes significantly helped boost morale for both children and caregivers.

Navigated the $7,200 USD initiative despite hyperinflation and extreme transfer commissions (reaching 48%), covering costs for performers, transportation, and prizes.

Ten trucks, 70,000 liters, against peak summer heat

Our team dispatched ten water trucks carrying 70,000 liters into high-density displacement zones including Yarmouk Street, Palestine Stadium, and Al-Burak Camp to address universal water needs during peak summer heat. Total water expenditure reached $17,500 at $250 per cubic meter, plus significant operational overhead, navigating severe fuel scarcity and long queues at the few remaining pumping stations still functioning in Gaza. We rotated runs to make sure coverage extended into previously unserved areas like Al-Sahaba Street and Al-Daraj, responding directly to urgent appeals from displaced families and overcrowded host households. Team members sustained continuous presence despite infrastructure destruction and constant movement risks, while experiencing the same daily deprivations as those we served.

10 water trucks carrying 70,000 liters to high-density zones including Yarmouk Street, Palestine Stadium, and Al-Burak Camp to address universal water needs during peak summer heat.

Logistical scale and cost: $17,500 USD expenditure for water (at $250 per cubic meter) plus significant operational overhead, navigating severe fuel scarcity and long queues at the few remaining pumping stations in Gaza.

Targeted neighborhood outreach: rotating runs were prioritized to ensure coverage across previously unserved areas like Al-Sahaba Street and Al-Daraj, responding directly to urgent appeals from displaced families and overcrowded host households.

Operational endurance: the team sustained a continuous presence despite destruction of infrastructure and constant movement risks, with team members working to maintain community trust while experiencing the same daily deprivations as those they served.

Cash into caregivers' hands at Al-Rantisi Hospital for critically ill children

We brought targeted emergency assistance to over 70 children and their families at Abdul Aziz Al-Rantisi Hospital, specifically prioritizing those in critical condition or suffering from severe malnutrition. We chose direct cash assistance (totaling approximately $16,500) over goods so caregivers could buy the specific medicines, vitamins and specialized infant formula that medical staff had prescribed, moment by moment, against a total scarcity of supplies. We worked in close partnership with hospital physicians and administrators to make sure aid was accurately prioritized for the most medically vulnerable cases, building a life-sustaining safety net for families who otherwise had no way to secure essential medications.

Critical hospital support: we brought targeted emergency assistance to over 70 children and their families at Abdul Aziz Al-Rantisi Hospital, specifically prioritizing those in critical condition or suffering from severe malnutrition.

Cash-based medical support: direct cash assistance (totaling approximately $16,500 USD) rather than goods gave caregivers the immediate flexibility to buy specific medicines, vitamins, and specialized infant formula as directed by medical staff.

Institutional coordination: worked in close partnership with hospital physicians and administrators to ensure aid was accurately prioritized for the most medically vulnerable cases amid a total scarcity of supplies.

Operational resilience: navigated extreme financial barriers, including high commission fees and hyperinflation, to provide a life-sustaining safety net for families who otherwise lacked the resources to secure essential medications.

The first large-scale blood drive of the crisis

Our team organized a large-scale blood donation drive at Al-Karama School in response to an urgent appeal from local blood banks, collecting units from over 100 donors to restock depleted hospital supplies. We mobilized a full medical team on site, including a supervising doctor and an on-site ambulance, to manage donor hygiene protocols and provide immediate care for fainting cases, a heightened risk given widespread community malnutrition. We moved 2,000 invitation cards through displacement camps ahead of the drive. High-sugar refreshments for donors alone cost $1,500 with sugar prices peaking at $320 per kg. Over 100 people donated despite enduring famine conditions themselves, in what marked the first large-scale organized blood drive of the crisis period.

A large-scale blood donation drive at Al-Karama School in response to an urgent appeal from local blood banks, successfully collecting units from over 100 donors to restock depleted hospital supplies.

Safety and medical coordination: mobilized a full medical team, including a supervising doctor and an on-site ambulance, to manage donor hygiene protocols and provide immediate care for fainting cases (a heightened risk due to widespread community malnutrition).

Logistical management: 2,000 invitation cards went out across displacement camps, and essential high-sugar refreshments for donors cost $1,500 with sugar prices peaking at $320/kg.

Executed the $4,000 USD initiative despite severe hyperinflation and active conflict conditions, ensuring all collected blood was moved directly to medical facilities. Over 100 individuals participated despite enduring famine conditions and personal hardship, marking the first large-scale organized blood drive of the crisis period.

August

Against a backdrop of total market failure, August was defined by our relentless efforts to try to maintain food security. Supplies were scarce, prices shifted by the hour, and we moved with them, sourcing staples through days of direct negotiation with traders, pushing food parcels and hot meals into camps by tuk-tuk and hand-cart when trucks could not pass. We ran eleven water trucks through a total fuel blockade, assembled food parcels after three days of intense market negotiation, cooked thirty pots of rice and pasta for three displacement sites under active bombardment, and held two consecutive blood drives despite widespread malnutrition that forced many volunteers to be turned away.

Eleven water trucks through a total fuel blockade

We dispatched eleven trucks carrying a total of 77,000 liters of potable water into high-density displacement zones including Al-Shati Camp, Tal al-Hawa, and the Palestine Stadium area, moving in direct response to neighborhood appeals. We operated this run during a total freeze on diesel and gasoline imports, which forced reliance on a single active water station and drove water prices to a peak of $290 per cubic meter. Total expenditure reached $49,430, including $16,500 for truck rentals and $6,600 in fuel surcharges as transport became nearly impossible. Locations spanned from At-Tuffah to Cairo School Camp, making sure water reached both formal camps and informal clusters excluded from traditional aid flows.

11 trucks carrying a total of 77,000 liters of potable water to high-density displacement zones, including Al-Shati Camp, Tal al-Hawa, and the Palestine Stadium area, in direct response to neighborhood appeals.

Fuel blockade crisis: operated during a total freeze on diesel and gasoline imports, which forced reliance on a single active water station and drove water prices to a peak of $290 per cubic meter.

Escalating logistics costs: total expenditure was $49,430, including $16,500 for truck rentals and $6,600 in fuel surcharges as transport became nearly impossible due to infrastructure collapse. The team navigated severe cash shortages and high digital transfer commissions to keep the runs going.

Strategic reach: diverse locations across the Gaza Strip were reached, from At-Tuffah to Cairo School Camp, ensuring that water reached both formal camps and informal clusters excluded from traditional aid flows.

120 food parcels and 12 pots of rice against hourly price shifts

Our team assembled and moved out 120 high-value food parcels in the Al-Azhar displacement camp following three days of intense market negotiations. Each parcel contained essential staples including milk, rice, tahini and dates, specifically prioritizing families with children suffering from severe nutritional deprivation and no external income. The next day, our communal cooking operation produced twelve large pots of rice for high-density tent areas in Gaza City, despite active siege conditions that forced us to manage the complex logistics of sourcing firewood, bulk spices and industrial cooking equipment under fire. Staple prices shifted hourly, dates at $40, milk at $30, and we chose quality over minimal rations, carrying $22,000 in operation costs against hyperinflation that made every purchase a negotiation.

The team assembled and handed out 120 high-value food parcels in the Al-Azhar displacement camp following three days of intense market negotiations. Each parcel contained essential staples, including milk, rice, tahini, and dates, prioritizing families with children suffering from severe nutritional deprivation and no external income.

The next day, our communal cooking initiative produced 12 large pots of rice for high-density tent areas in Gaza City. Despite active siege conditions, the team managed the complex logistics of sourcing firewood, bulk spices, and industrial cooking equipment.

We executed the $22,000 operation (excluding communal cooking costs) amid extreme market volatility where staple prices, such as dates at $40 and milk at $30, shifted hourly, requiring the team to perform rapid procurement to secure quality items over minimal rations.

We addressed overwhelming demand that frequently exceeded supply, necessitating careful crowd management near cooking fires while ensuring all prepared food reached families instantly. The team reinforced community trust through a transparent division of labor and a commitment to quality, including one parcel for each team member's household to support staff enduring the same famine conditions as the population served.

Two consecutive blood drives at Al-Azhar Camp and Al-Shafei School

We ran two consecutive blood drives at Al-Azhar Camp and Al-Shafei School, collecting approximately 150 to 160 units of blood to replenish critical hospital reserves. Over 200 individuals presented to donate despite widespread famine conditions, though the medical team had to turn many away because of low hemoglobin levels driven by the hunger itself. We organized pastries and refreshments for donors at $1,800 to mitigate fainting risks, a cost distorted by hyperinflation. A full medical team coordinated on site, including doctors, nurses and ambulance crews, and the two-day campaign reached around $5,000 in total cost, covering medical stipends, printing, transportation, and donor care under constant bombardment risk.

We ran two consecutive blood drives at Al-Azhar Camp and Al-Shafei School, collecting approximately 150 to 160 units of blood to replenish critical hospital reserves.

High community turnout: over 200 individuals presented to donate despite widespread famine conditions, though many volunteers had to be turned away by the medical team due to low hemoglobin levels.

Safety and logistics: pastries and refreshments for donors to mitigate fainting risks, a $1,800 investment given hyper-inflation. Full medical staff coordinated, including doctors, nurses, and ambulance teams, to manage the site.

Operational cost: total expenditure for the two-day campaign was approximately $5,000, covering medical stipends, printing, transportation, and donor care under constant bombardment risk.

Fifty food parcels moved by tuk-tuk through damaged infrastructure

Our team brought fifty specialized food parcels to approximately 45 displaced families in Al-Azhar Camp and nearby tent settlements, focusing on households with the highest levels of food insecurity. We secured seven sacks of flour (costing $3,500) after days of intense negotiation with traders during a period of extreme scarcity and market withholding, supplementing each parcel with rice, pasta, tomato sauce and cooking oil. We used tuk-tuks to navigate damaged infrastructure and move parcels directly to displaced households, reaching those unable to access central distribution points, and used a shared safehouse for storage after local warehouses had been destroyed. Total spend: $10,300.

We brought 50 specialized food parcels to roughly 45 displaced families in Al-Azhar Camp and nearby tent settlements, focusing on households with the highest levels of food insecurity. We secured seven sacks of flour (costing $3,500) after days of intense negotiation with traders during a period of extreme scarcity and market withholding. Each parcel was supplemented with rice, pasta, tomato sauce, and cooking oil.

The team used tuk-tuks to navigate damaged infrastructure and bring parcels directly to displaced households, ensuring aid reached those unable to access central distribution points.

Financial and storage resilience: a total spend of $10,300, using a shared safehouse for storage to circumvent the total destruction of local warehouses.

150 food packages across three camps in a 24-hour window

We assembled approximately 150 food packages and moved them across three camps, specifically reaching households that had been excluded from previous aid rounds. Each package contained a critical 2 to 2.5 kg flour supplement, rice, pasta, tomato paste, cooking oil and seasoning, giving families the ingredients for multiple meals. We ran the entire operation on only 24 hours of planning to make sure supplies moved directly to families, preventing the loss of inventory during a high-threat period of ground incursions. The focused budget included $3,500 for ten sacks of flour and $1,650 for specialized packing, loading and bus transportation to navigate high-risk zones.

Approximately 150 food packages were assembled and moved across three camps, specifically reaching households that had been excluded from previous aid rounds.

Each package contained a critical 2 to 2.5 kg flour supplement, rice, pasta, tomato paste, cooking oil, and seasoning, ensuring families had the ingredients for multiple meals.

Risk mitigation: done with only 24 hours of planning to make sure supplies were moved directly to families, preventing the potential loss of inventory during a high-threat period of ground incursions.

Logistical costs: a focused budget including $3,500 for 10 sacks of flour and $1,650 for specialized packing, loading, and bus transportation to navigate high-risk zones.

Thirty pots of rice and pasta for three major displacement sites

We prepared thirty large pots of rice and pasta, bringing hot meals to three major displacement sites including the Tel al-Hawa camp adjacent to Al-Quds Hospital. We navigated extreme market manipulation to secure essential cooking ingredients, with costs reaching $2,500 for onions and up to $5,000 for spices and garlic powder due to total market scarcity. The team managed the logistics of securing 250 kg of firewood ($2,700) and built a decentralized transport network of cars and tuk-tuks to move the prepared food under active bombardment, coordinating a team of professional cooks and laborers who sustained a high-density meal service despite severe infrastructure collapse and the physical exhaustion of the field team.

The team prepared 30 large pots of rice and pasta, bringing hot meals to three major displacement sites, including the Tel al-Hawa camp adjacent to the Al-Quds Hospital.

Hyper-inflationary procurement: navigated extreme market manipulation to secure essential cooking ingredients, with costs reaching $2,500 for onions and up to $5,000 for spices and garlic powder due to total market scarcity.

Logistical difficulties: managed the logistics of securing 250 kg of firewood ($2,700) and a decentralized transport network of cars and tuk-tuks to move the prepared food under active bombardment.

Operational endurance: coordinated a team of professional cooks and laborers (totaling $2,700 in wages and support) to maintain a high-density meal service despite the physical exhaustion of the field team and severe infrastructure collapse.

September

September tested our logistical resilience as we navigated the near-total collapse of transport and communication to ensure aid reached its destination. Vehicles became targets, phone lines dropped out, and we pivoted to decentralized, low-visibility rounds on foot to sustain thousands of families caught in intensified bombardment and mass westward displacement. Food parcels moved by tuk-tuk through hourly market swings and currency rejection. Mass cooking sites had to relocate twice mid-operation when original locations became too dangerous. And when ground advances and tank presence made traditional supply logistics impossible, we moved emergency cash directly into the hands of families fleeing on foot.

A large-scale food operation for families newly displaced

A large-scale food operation in western Gaza City in response to mass displacement from al-Saftawi, al-Zaytoun, and al-Sabra, where the sudden influx of people had driven temporary shelter costs as high as $4,000. Parcels of rice, sugar, pasta, tuna, tahini, and powdered milk for several days' worth of food per household. Yeast at $40 per pack (down from previous peaks of $400) was a small relief. Coverage ran across al-Kateeba, Tal al-Hawa, Yarmouk Camp, al-Shati Camp, and the university districts.

In an emergency response to the mass displacement, we mobilized a large-scale food aid operation in western Gaza City to support families newly displaced from al-Saftawi, al-Zaytoun, and al-Sabra, where the influx of people had driven temporary shelter costs as high as $4,000 USD.

Our team assembled parcels containing a diverse range of staples including rice, sugar, pasta, tuna, tahini, and powdered milk, designed to sustain a household for several days.

Navigated a total expenditure of $42,000 USD while overcoming severe operational hurdles, including hourly market price fluctuations and currency rejection issues where damaged or old bills were refused by traders.

Dignity-centered logistics: a decentralized tuk-tuk transport model moved $38,000 USD worth of staples, prioritizing a method that avoided public exposure of recipients and maintained household dignity despite the active bombardment risk.

Al-Maʿmādānī hospital rounds and the Prophet's birthday

50 family food parcels reached kidney patients and the injured at Al-Maʿmādānī (Baptist) Hospital. The team withdrew from an initial attempt at Al-Shifa to avoid conflict over scarce resources, redirecting the aid peacefully. Each family received flour, sugar, rice, pasta, oil, tahini, tuna, and za'atar. 10 to 12 additional parcels went to off-camera urgent cases. Daily support held for bereaved families, orphan stipends, infant supplies and ongoing medical needs. The same week, we organized a Mawlid al-Nabi celebration for the Prophet's birthday.

We brought 50 family food parcels to kidney patients and the injured at Al-Maʿmādānī (Baptist) Hospital. The team withdrew from an initial attempt at Al-Shifa Hospital to avoid potential conflict over scarce resources, redirecting the aid peacefully.

Each family received a strategic mix of staples including flour, sugar, rice, pasta, oil, tahini, tuna, and za'atar. 10 to 12 additional parcels went off-camera to urgent cases. Daily support continued for bereaved families, orphan stipends, infant supplies (formula and diapers), and ongoing medical needs like burn treatment creams.

Operational security: activities happened under extreme risk, with airstrikes occurring within 200 meters of activity sites and a persistent threat of a total communications blackout. Allocated $8,400 for emergency stockpiling of firewood and salt.

Financial overview ($33,390 total): parcel procurement $17,080, contingency stockpiling $8,400, logistics and operations $4,900, individual case support $3,010. Total reflects a significant 40% transfer commission on incoming funds.

The same week, we organized a Mawlid al-Nabi celebration for the Prophet's birthday.

31 pots, relocated twice

A large-scale relief mission during intensified bombardment and ground incursion threats. We had to move the cooking site twice after the original locations near the University and Tel al-Hawa became too dangerous. 31 large pots: approximately 300 kg of pasta and 250 kg of rice. Demand far exceeded supply, double the volume could have gone out instantly. A water truck (6.5 m³) ran alongside. With motorized transport nearly gone, much of the equipment moved by manual hand-cart. Only about 10% of critical calls connected through the blackout.

In mid September we executed a large-scale relief mission during a period of intensified bombardment and ground incursion threats, successfully relocating the cooking site twice after original locations near the University and Tel al-Hawa became too dangerous.

31 large pots were prepared containing approximately 300 kg of pasta and 250 kg of rice. Despite the scale, demand far exceeded supply, with field staff noting that double the volume could have gone out instantly to the crowds fleeing toward the Al-Mina port area. A water truck was also dispatched (approx. 6.5 m³) at a cost of $1,500 USD.

Resourceful logistics: overcame a near-total collapse of motorized transport by using manual hand-cart hauling to move equipment and food. The team also navigated a severe communications blackout, with only about 10% of critical calls connecting.

Financial breakdown (~$19,000): staples and spices $8,950, fuel and infrastructure $2,350, logistics and water $4,000, vegetables and misc $3,700.

Cooking at Mina Camp through the blackout

A small-footprint cooking operation was organized at Mina Camp in West Gaza City for families fleeing westward along the Al-Rasheed Street corridor under advancing military pressure. Under a total communications blackout and low visibility, we managed to rapidly prepare 15 large pots of hot meals. Direct cash envelopes were also provided to families in acute distress, visibly exhausted by repeated displacement.

We set up a small-footprint cooking operation at Mina Camp (West Gaza City) for families fleeing westward along the Al-Rasheed Street corridor amid advancing military pressure.

15 large pots of food, focusing on a low-visibility and rapid setup to minimize risk during high-threat movement conditions and ongoing bombardment.

Integrated cash assistance: direct cash envelopes to families in acute distress, prioritizing those visibly exhausted by repeated displacement and lacking resources for immediate needs.

Manual logistics and blackout conditions: the entire operation ran under a total communications blackout and near-total transport collapse. All equipment, wood fuel, and ingredients moved via multiple handcart runs.

Emergency cash into the hands of families fleeing on foot under tank advance

Families were fleeing on foot along Al-Rasheed Street and the western coastal routes under active ground advances and direct tank presence. Traditional supply logistics were impossible. So we moved emergency cash into the hands of households in transit, where it was the only relief tool that could still function. A total of $24,500 net reached families across the week. On September 26, the peak day, the team walked extensively through displacement zones to identify around 80 households in the most desperate conditions. Most rounds happened at night to reduce exposure for recipients and team alike, operating across Al-Mina, Al-Nabulsi Roundabout, and the Passports area despite the proximity of armored vehicles. $100 per family for immediate survival, $200 for households with orphans, sick members or malnourished children, and $1,000 each to three female-headed households in extreme destitution.

For families fleeing on foot along Al-Rasheed Street and the western coastal routes, we prioritized direct cash assistance as the most effective relief tool where active ground advances and tank presence made traditional supply logistics impossible.

Targeted scale: $24,500 USD (Net) reached families in transit. On the peak day (September 26), the team walked extensively through displacement zones to reach approximately 80 households in the most desperate conditions.

Most rounds happened at night to minimize exposure risk for recipients and the team, operating across Al-Mina, Al-Nabulsi Roundabout, and the Passports area despite the proximity of armored vehicles.

Tiered support structure: standard relief, $100 per family for immediate survival needs. High-vulnerability cases, $200 for families with orphans, sick members, or malnourished children. Critical support, $1,000 grants to three female-headed households facing extreme destitution.

Economic navigation: managed two funding batches to reach the $24,500 USD total, overcoming high transfer commissions and the astronomical costs of transport during the northern movement paralysis.

October 2 · Team Survival Appeal

We were displacing 80% of the team to the south. Three people stayed in the north under siege. Some members were sleeping in the street, or beside tents, while still moving rice and pasta and oil under fire.

At the start of October, bombardment across Gaza City and the north intensified. Vehicle transport had collapsed under direct targeting. The team moved supplies on foot along corridors under sniper and tank fire. For displaced team members a basic tent cost $2,000, a makeshift toilet $1,500, and land rent ran up to $600 per month for a single tent.

We spent $2,700 on urgent evacuation of team members. We issued a collective appeal for $100,000 to hold relief capacity together, starting with heavy-duty tarps ($500 each) and stabilizing flour, milk and water. This was not a fundraising moment. This was survival, for the people we serve and for the people doing the serving.

October

October began under the weight of what you just read. 80% of the field team had been displaced south, three members remained under siege in the north, and motorized transport had collapsed. The team kept moving anyway. A communal meal on the first day of the fragile, frequently violated ceasefire. Over 4,000 plates of Sumaqiyeh cooked in community homes and moved across the northern operations zone by donkey cart. Life-sustaining formula and diapers for 300 families with infants, secured after three days of direct negotiation with traders to bring prices down from a $350 peak.

A communal meal on the first day of the ceasefire

On the first day of the formal ceasefire, a communal meal at Al-Sa'ada Camp in Deir al-Balah for displaced families in makeshift coastal shelters. The $7,000 budget was originally earmarked for tents, but the team anticipated that shelter prices would drop as borders reopened, and redirected the funds to food. Eight large pots of rice using around 220 kg of rice, serving roughly 200 families. We worked from a names list so the serving stayed orderly. Prices were already starting to stabilize: firewood dropped from $9/kg to $4/kg, rice from $14/kg to $10/kg.

Ceasefire response: the team organized a communal meal on the first day of the formal ceasefire in Al-Sa'ada Camp, Deir al-Balah, addressing the immediate hunger of displaced families concentrated in makeshift coastal shelters.

Strategic resource pivot: originally intended for tent procurement, the $7,000 budget was redirected toward food after the team anticipated a significant drop in shelter prices following border reopenings.

Operational scale: eight large pots of rice using approximately 220 kg of rice, serving roughly 200 displaced families. We worked from a names list provided by camp administrators to keep the serving orderly.

Economic market shift: executed procurement as prices began to stabilize; firewood dropped from $9/kg to $4/kg and rice fell from $14/kg to $10/kg, allowing for greater volume than in previous weeks.

Financial overview ($7,000): rice and ingredients $3,800, logistics $1,700, labor and misc $1,500.

Forward strategy: transition toward post-ceasefire rehabilitation, including mosque repair, well restoration, solar charging stations, and winterization.

Over 4,000 plates of Sumaqiyeh

We prepared and served over 4,000 plates of Sumaqiyeh, a traditional Gazan dish, for several thousand people. The work focused on high-displacement areas including Shuja'iyya and the Al-Sa'ada, Al-Ghalayiniya, and Al-Masha'la camps, specifically prioritizing female-headed households and families with children. Over 20 volunteers joined in, including local women who processed 300 kg of onions and chard. We rented donkey carts to move massive cooking pots across the northern operations zone. 100% of funds went to materials and labor with zero commission deductions.

We prepared and served over 4,000 plates of Sumaqiyeh, a traditional Gazan dish, providing several thousand individuals with a nutritious alternative to repetitive emergency staples like rice and canned goods. The activity focused on high-displacement areas including Shuja'iyya and the Al-Sa'ada, Al-Ghalayiniya, and Al-Masha'la camps, specifically prioritizing female-headed households and families with children.

Community-led logistics: mobilized over 20 volunteers, including local women who processed 300 kg of onions and chard, and used community homes adapted for large-scale cooking to overcome the destruction of formal infrastructure.

Transportation: navigated the near-total lack of motorized vehicles by renting donkey carts to move massive cooking pots and finished meals across the northern Gaza operations zone.

Financial overview ($17,000 to $18,000): ingredients and bread $10,000, fuel and transport $3,500, labor and miscellaneous $3,000. 100% of funds went to materials and labor with zero commission deductions.

Impact: restored a sense of dignity and cultural continuity during a fragile ceasefire, reinforcing community trust through a high-quality, traditional meal serving 2 to 3 people per plate.

Formula and diapers for 300 infants

Life-sustaining supplies for approximately 300 families with infants through a period of acute shortage of formula and diapers during a fragile and frequently violated ceasefire. A three-day procurement process negotiating with over 20 traders secured formula at $35 to $45 per can, a significant relief from the peak of $350 per item. Camp coordinators and SMS notifications identified the most vulnerable cases. Families with multiple infants received double allocations. Donkey carts handled the last mile when fuel was short.

We were able to provide life-sustaining supplies to approximately 300 families with infants through a period of acute shortage of formula and diapers during a fragile and frequently violated ceasefire. Through a three-day procurement process, we negotiated with over 20 traders to secure formula at stabilized prices of $35 to $45 per can, a significant relief from the peak of $350 per item.

Organized process: camp coordinators and SMS notifications identified the most vulnerable cases and prevented dangerous crowding. Families with multiple infants received double allocations.

Logistical adaptability: total expenditure of $19,500, using a mix of available transport including donkey carts to overcome severe fuel scarcity and vehicle shortages.

Financial breakdown: formula and diapers $15,500, logistics and storage $2,400, staff and communications $1,600.

Impact: directly stabilized nutrition and hygiene for 300 displaced infants, maintained strict privacy protocols for recipients while reinforcing trust with camp managers, and set a foundation for upcoming winterization and blood donation campaigns.

November

In November, we strategically expanded our operations to include high-impact medical and psychosocial relief. The team coordinated a series of nine blood donation drives across the month to replenish critical hospital reserves running on nothing, while holding acute hunger at bay through rapid-response bread and water rounds to families who had completely exhausted their food reserves. Parallel operations held the line on dignity. Water trucks into Al-Shati, a community clay oven raised from local materials, cooking under the canopy of a bombed house when flooding forced a site change, and a Madih Nabawi evening to hold spiritual morale steady against the blockade.

Six blood drives in nine days

We helped to deliver a high-impact series of six blood drives across northern and southern Gaza to replenish critical hospital reserves. By engaging more than 850 participants to register in just 9 days, we were able to collect a total of 185 units of blood.

Our team coordinated a high-impact series of six blood drives across northern and southern Gaza to replenish critical hospital reserves, engaging 850+ participants in just nine days.

Timeline and output: Nov 2 (Al-Azhar Camp): 160+ registered, 30 units collected. Nov 2 (Al-Awda Center): 150 to 170 registered, 35 units collected. Nov 3 (Nabaq Street Shelter): 120+ registered, 25 units collected. Nov 3 (Al-Awda Extension): 130+ registered, 30 units collected. Nov 4 (North Gaza and Jabalia): 150+ registered, 30 units collected. Nov 11 (Al-Shati Camp): 170+ registered, 35 units collected.

Professional medical coordination: partnered with the Ministry of Health to deploy 30 medical staff and ambulance drivers, managing cold-chain logistics and donor recovery via $6,000 worth of nutrient-dense fruits and sweets.

Financial and logistical resilience: total expenditure of $18,500 to cover medical stipends ($3,600), volunteer labor ($3,000), and fuel ($2,500), maintaining operational continuity despite the high turn-away rate of donors due to widespread malnutrition.

Bread within hours of the call

We were able to reach Al-Azhar Camp within hours of distress calls, to provide 140 to 150 bundles of bread to families who had run out of food. A direct tent-to-tent model was used to reach the elderly, children, and repeatedly displaced households, avoiding the risks of large crowds. Alongside the $1,700 bread run, the team coordinated a relocation for a family in an exposed tent and managed $100 to $150 in daily discreet emergency cash requests for vulnerable women and families.

One day on Al-Shati: water, Rumaniyeh, Madih

A day defined by three things happening at once in Al-Shati. Two water trucks (13 cubic meters total) into the neighborhood after we found residents had no drinking water while preparing the site. The majority went to households; 200 liters held back for the cooking operation. Eight large pots of Rumaniyeh, a traditional eggplant and lentil dish, prepared under the canopy of a bombed house after heavy winter flooding forced a site change. That evening, a Madih Nabawi (Prophetic Praise) gathering with a live band and sound system, held through rain and power shortages, to celebrate Tawjihi exam successes and other community milestones.

Water: two trucks (13 cubic meters total) into Al-Shati at a cost of $2,100 after we discovered residents had no drinking water during other site preparations. The majority of the supply reached local households, with 200 liters reserved for the communal cooking operation.

Rumaniyeh cooking: eight large pots of Rumaniyeh (a traditional eggplant and lentil dish) prepared under the canopy of a bombed house, relocating due to heavy winter flooding in the streets. The meal served residents of Al-Shati and displaced families sheltering in a nearby bombed school, maintaining nutritional support despite blocked roads and damaged drainage.

Madih Nabawi: a Prophetic Praise gathering with a live band and sound system to provide emotional relief and celebrate community milestones, including Tawjihi exam successes. Proceeded through heavy rainfall and power shortages to foster spiritual morale amid the ongoing blockade.

November 23: four parallel operations from Al-Shati to Al-Tawbah Mosque

Four things happened in parallel across a single day. A truck carrying seven cubic meters of water moved into a heavily damaged sector of Al-Shati Camp at $1,050, where demand was three to four times what we could supply. A low-cost community clay oven was raised using local materials, bypassing the $6,000 to $7,000 cost of a metal alternative, and activated immediately to restore a shared baking space for the neighborhood. The ninth blood donation drive of the month ran at Al-Tawbah Mosque, one of the team's largest to date, coordinated with the central Blood Bank and ambulance staff to address severe hospital shortages. And a short solidarity visit to families who had lost youth in the bombardment, with seven envelopes totaling $700 as naqṭ to offer immediate financial and emotional recognition.

Water: a truck carrying 7 cubic meters of water into a heavily damaged sector of Al-Shati Camp at a cost of $1,050, addressing acute shortages for families living in torn tents and damaged shelters. Field staff noted that demand significantly exceeded supply.

Community clay oven: a low-cost clay oven went up using local materials to provide a permanent, shared baking space for the Al-Shati community, bypassing the $6,000 to $7,000 cost of a metal alternative. $2,000 covered construction, firewood, and transport, with the oven activating on the same day as the water arrival.

Ninth blood drive: one of the team's largest drives to date at Al-Tawbah Mosque, coordinating with the central Blood Bank and ambulance staff to address severe blood shortages. A $3,200 budget covered logistics and essential refreshments (fruits and sweets) to support donors' physical recovery during the campaign.

Solidarity visit: a short visit to recognize the loss of local youth, with seven envelopes totaling $700 as naqṭ (solidarity cash) offering immediate financial and emotional recognition to bereaved families.

December

December marked a significant expansion in our work, as we moved from emergency relief into large-scale reconstruction. The team mobilized a workforce of over 70 personnel, including specialized engineers, sanitation workers, and heavy machinery operators, to reopen critical transit arteries and repair severed water networks, transitioning from immediate survival to the restoration of habitability in Northern Gaza. Alongside the rebuild, the team ran a two-phase blanket distribution across six camps as flooding soaked bedding and tents, high-value emergency parcels to families in the most exposed zones at the peak of the winter storm, a winter clothing operation reaching 900+ units during the Arba'iniya cold wave, and a blood drive that relocated mid-campaign to keep hospital supply moving through the blackout.

Mosque ablution area rebuilt

Amid a total collapse of civilian water and sewage systems, our team stepped in to rebuild the mosque's ablution area, restoring dignity and essential hygiene for families facing the coldest months of the year.

The rebuilding of the mosque ablution area was executed amid a total collapse of civilian infrastructure (water and sewage). The project provided essential sanitation for displaced communities during the onset of winter.

Infrastructure adaptation: due to the unavailability of cement, the team secured walls and installed a basic water network and fittings, using paint instead of plaster to complete the $3,500 communal facility.

700 blankets across six camps

We launched an urgent thermal relief push to combat severe winter exposure, as flooding had soaked bedding and tents across seaside and beach camps. A $26,000 budget to procure and move 700 high-quality blankets ($25/unit) across six major camps, including Al-A'edoon and Sheikh Radwan, managing all transport and documentation from a working base in Tel al-Hawa.

60 chickens, 13 pots, one kitchen in the north

Roads became impassable and electricity unreliable. The team worked out of the Hanoun Kitchen to provide hot, nutrient-dense meals to families facing both hunger and cold. 15 team members prepared 60 chickens and 13 large pots of rice and pasta, with fresh vegetables and spices to build a real cooked meal for hundreds of displaced residents.

A blood drive through the blackout

Organized during continued insecurity and power outages. The team had to abandon the original Yarmouk site due to a lack of electricity and rapidly relocate to Al-Azhar camp to maintain continuity. $4,000 covered ambulance coordination, staff wages, and donor recovery refreshments.

This activity was organized during continued insecurity and power outages. The team was forced to abandon the original Yarmouk site due to a lack of electricity and rapidly relocate to Al-Azhar camp to ensure continuity.

$4,000 covered ambulance coordination, staff wages, and donor recovery refreshments, maintaining the blood supply despite the volatile operational environment.

Storm parcels, same day, same exposed zones

After severe flooding decimated remaining food reserves in seaside and street-side camps, high-value emergency parcels reached families in the most exposed zones. $15,000 worth of large food parcels (approximately $150 each), containing 20 essential items including olive oil, 3 kg of rice, sugar, and cheese to carry families through the peak of the winter storm.

Winter clothing, 900+ units, one 14-hour day

A large-scale push during the Arba'iniya cold wave, providing high-durability winter protection for families in Al-Azhar, Tal al-Hawa, and Al-Shati who remain in destroyed or underserved urban zones. A multi-day vetting process secured high-quality imported fabrics built to withstand abrasive dust and rugged terrain. 400 to 500 families chose specific sizes and items (tracksuits and footwear) through a voucher system valued at 150 NIS per card. A continuous 14-hour operation from 9am to 11pm, chartered transport bringing families from distant neighborhoods, a 23-person team managing crowd density and order. Tracksuits secured at $19.45 USD each, nearly 50% below market rate. Total program: $15,000, serving approximately 900+ high-need units.

A large-scale push during the Arba'iniya cold wave to provide high-durability winter protection for families in Al-Azhar, Tal al-Hawa, and Al-Shati who remain in destroyed or underserved urban zones.

We conducted a multi-day vetting process to secure high-quality imported fabrics, prioritized materials capable of withstanding the abrasive dust and rugged terrain of non-paved camp environments.

Dignity-based voucher system: a selection-based model (150 NIS net value per card) rather than pre-packed kits, granting 400 to 500 families the agency to choose specific sizes and items, including tracksuits and footwear, based on their immediate needs.

Logistical marathon: a continuous 14-hour operation (9am to 11pm) using chartered transport to bring families from distant neighborhoods to the distribution point, ensuring access for those with limited mobility.

Operational resilience: navigated extreme crowd density and high-stress environments by deploying a 23-person team (including security and shop staff) to maintain order and provide a dignified atmosphere for children and orphans.

Cost efficiency: leveraged negotiated pricing to secure tracksuits at $19.45 USD, nearly 50% below market rate, maximizing a total program investment of $15,000.00 to serve approximately 900+ high-need units.

Service philosophy: duty over charity, focusing on the immediate survival and dignity of the community amidst the systematic destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure.

Three days, 70+ workers, Street 10 reopened

Our biggest rebuilding project to date: a workforce of over 70 (specialized engineers, sanitation workers, heavy machinery operators) for a concentrated three-day push. Street 10, a primary transit artery, was reopened with 10 trucks and 5 excavators, restoring access for displaced families to return to damaged residential zones and salvage what they could. Hundreds of tons of accumulated waste were removed from near shelter centers. Specialized suctioning cleared flooded wastewater from residential interiors in Al-Nasr and Sheikh Radwan. Critical main water lines severed by kinetic activity were identified and repaired, restoring basic service. Total cost: around $13,000. By providing the catalyst, the project activated millions of dollars of existing infrastructure value that had been dormant.

In our biggest rebuilding project to date, we mobilized a high-capacity workforce of over 70 personnel, including specialized engineers, sanitation workers, and heavy machinery operators, to execute a concentrated three-day push.

Strategic debris removal (Street 10): a fleet of 10 trucks and 5 excavators went in to reopen Street 10, a primary transit artery. This action restored access for displaced families to return to damaged residential zones and salvage assets from destroyed properties.

Sanitation and public health: removed hundreds of tons of accumulated waste from the vicinity of shelter centers in Northern Gaza to mitigate disease vectors. Specialized suctioning of flooded wastewater from residential interiors in Al-Nasr and Sheikh Radwan to restore habitability.

Water network repair: identified and repaired critical main water lines severed by kinetic activity, restoring basic service to targeted neighborhoods.

Economic efficiency model: total mobilization cost was approximately $13,000 USD, covering worker honorariums, food, and heavy equipment fuel. By providing the catalyst (fuel and labor costs), the project activated millions of dollars in existing infrastructure value that had been dormant or inaccessible due to the blockade.

Civil team integration: partnered with local workers who had been operating without pay for two years, providing the necessary financial and logistical fuel to restart essential public services.

Operational philosophy: shifting the reconstruction narrative from external investment boards to a dignity-based, locally-led model, proving that Gazan technical teams can execute complex recovery tasks when provided with basic resource inputs.

Financial overview

A note on the numbers. Field expenditures were often recorded in Israeli Shekels. All USD figures in this report use a fixed annual reporting rate of 1 USD = 3.7 ILS, not daily market rates, so months can be read consistently against each other despite hyperinflation, transfer commissions of 18% to 45%, and extreme liquidity constraints.

Documented expenditures

Based on reported figures across activities:

Winter operations, late November to mid-December (excluding cooking): ~$48,100 to $48,500
Winter clothing campaign, December 17: ~$54,000
November blood campaigns, November 2 to 11: $18,500
November 23 combined activities: $6,950
November 17 cooking and water: ~$13,500
November 11 bread response: ~$1,700
September major food parcel response: ~$42,000
September 3 to 7 field response: $33,390
September 14 cooking and water: ~$19,000
August major operations (multiple rounds): documented totals exceeding tens of thousands

These figures represent only clearly itemized activities. They do not include numerous smaller emergency cash rounds, daily micro-assistance cases ($100 to $200 per household), unitemized cooking activities absorbed into operational budgets, or transfer commissions ranging from 18% to 45% in different periods.

Structural financial constraints

Transfer commissions reached up to 40 to 45% in peak periods. Hyperinflation of basic goods (flour, sugar, oil, fuel). Fuel scarcity increased transport costs. Cash liquidity shortages were persistent. Despite these structural losses, the team held field continuity without the institutional overhead structures typical of larger NGOs.

How we worked

Sa7ten's operational model in 2025 was shaped by five principles:

Direct field assessment. Decisions grounded in in-person camp visits and direct appeals.
Phased response. Work divided into phases based on severity and liquidity.
Dignity at the center. Voucher systems instead of pre-packed bags when possible. Discreet work for sensitive cases. No public exposure of recipients without consent.
Rapid plan shifts. Blood campaign sites relocated on short notice. Cooking events converted into water runs when shortages surfaced. Same-day response to storm flooding.
Community integration. Collaboration with camp directors, local volunteers, youth, and medical teams.

What we worked through

Continuous bombardment and movement risk. Destruction of roads and infrastructure. Flooding and winter exposure. Market volatility and trader manipulation. Communication blackouts. Physical and psychological strain on team members who were themselves displaced.

The team operated as both responders and survivors.

Closing

2025 was not a year of recovery. It was a year of sustained emergency. Our work did not unfold in stable humanitarian conditions. It unfolded amid siege, displacement, winter exposure, economic collapse, and repeated breaches of declared ceasefires.

The organization's role became twofold: to provide immediate life-sustaining assistance, and to preserve dignity, cultural continuity, and community cohesion.

From sanitation construction in January to winter clothing and storm response in December, the work followed one consistent principle: respond where harm is most immediate, and act before delay becomes another form of violence. This report reflects an unbroken operational line from January through mid-December 2025.

Sa7ten continues because Gaza continues.