Sustaining hope in Gaza

# Overview

Between October 2025 and August 2026, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) sustained a humanitarian response across Gaza, serving hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. The campaign responded to a humanitarian crisis in which many families faced destroyed homes, ongoing displacement, and severely disrupted basic services such as water and electricity.

# What AFSC delivered and where

AFSC concentrated efforts in North Gaza, Gaza City, the Middle Area, Khan Younis, and Rafah. Aid packages varied by location and by month to match shifting needs. Key program areas and delivered outcomes include:

• Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH): AFSC provided WASH supplies to 795,868 people. Most of this support was water distribution, which reached about 769,433 people across multiple areas where regular water systems were disrupted or insufficient. Family hygiene kits and specialized supplies for children, newborns, people with disabilities, and the elderly reached more than 24,000 people.

• Food security: Food assistance reached 251,370 people. Hot meal distributions alone served over 146,000 people in Gaza City, Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, and other displacement sites. Fresh vegetable distributions reached 61,730 people. AFSC also delivered food parcels to 17,778 people, bread to 14,970 people, and a special Eid cookie distribution to 9,210 people.

• Education and child-focused programs: AFSC's education and recreation activities reached 5,356 children. Learning spaces operated in locations including Al Zawaideh, Deir al-Balah, Nusseirat, Al Bureij, Al Karamah, and Gaza City. Structured learning, stationery, games, and recreational activities reached 3,306 students, while an estimated 2,050 children and caregivers participated in recreational programming.

• Protection and shelter: AFSC distributed clothing, mattresses, sheets, and winter blankets to replace items families lost during displacement. These protection and shelter interventions reached 3,120 people. About 1,500 people received clothing assistance, 1,000 children received new clothes for Eid, and specific distributions targeted pregnant women, patients, and families with particular needs.

# How AFSC adapted to changing needs

This flexible approach shaped program design across locations and sectors. Decisions reflected what was available, what could be delivered safely, and what communities prioritized at a given moment.

# Why certain areas dominated the response

Water became the largest single area of support because regular water systems remained disrupted in many places. For families living in displacement or returning to damaged neighborhoods, access to clean water is essential for drinking, cooking, washing, child care, and basic hygiene. The WASH focus aimed to prevent immediate health risks tied to water shortages and poor sanitation.

Food distributions remained critical because hunger persisted across displacement sites and damaged neighborhoods. Hot meals often supplied primary daily food for families when markets and supplies were limited.

# Immediate impacts for families and children

Distributions of household items—clothing, mattresses, sheets, and blankets—addressed needs linked to dignity and comfort. Education and recreational programs provided children with structured learning and routines that help stabilize daily life after prolonged disruption and displacement.

# Conclusion

From October 2025 through August 2026, AFSC maintained a flexible, multi-sector humanitarian response across Gaza, prioritizing water and food while also restoring basic household goods and opportunities for children to learn and play. The response aimed to match evolving needs across different communities and displacement settings.