On this last day of 2024, I’m sharing with you a longer than usual message. It’s from Wafaa, a longtime MECA staff member in Gaza. For nearly 15 months Wafaa has been leading a team of staff, partners, and volunteers who are providing support to displaced families throughout Gaza.
Please take the time to read Wafaa’s reflections and then, yes, once again I’m asking you to make a special year-end donation to support the work of her MECA team who are helping people in Gaza survive.
In solidarity,
Zeiad
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your unwavering commitment and generosity in supporting the people of Gaza. When the genocide began, we responded immediately, beginning our work on the second day of the aggression. At that time, I wrote that this was a test of our humanity, our principles, and our strength. Now, more than a year and two months later, as I write to you again and you continue to receive and respond to these messages, it is clear that we have succeeded in listening to our conscience, standing by our humanity, upholding our responsibilities, and aligning ourselves with truth and justice. Together, we are standing on the right side of history.
As I review the end-of-year reports, I feel immense pride in what we have accomplished. In just food security reports, we have delivered one million food parcels and ready-to-eat meals. But alongside these achievements, I carry the weight of a million moments of fatigue, grief, and loss. We have faced unimaginable hardships. We have lost dozens of volunteers, some were martyred, others displaced, and many are still missing. Some of our team members received devastating news of losing their children or homes while they were out in the field, continuing the work.
We narrowly escaped death countless times. There were nights when we decided to stop, believing we could no longer risk our lives. But every morning, when we opened our eyes and saw the devastation around us, the city reduced to rubble, the sorrowful faces of children, and the desperate eyes of mothers; we knew we had no choice but to keep going. We are halfway through this journey, and turning back is not an option. This is the path we chose, and we must see it through. For many, we are the only remaining ray of hope, the last chance to ensure their children don’t die of hunger nor coldness.
The situation is getting worse every moment. The bombing grows more brutal, and famine spreads mercilessly. Thousands go to bed hungry and cold each night, and hundreds appeal to us daily for just a little flour and one blanket. Families queue for hours for water or food, often returning empty-handed. Malnutrition cases are rising in our clinics, but the health sector has collapsed and cannot provide care or supplements. Diseases are spreading rapidly. The environmental situation is catastrophic, with waste piling up near tents. People’s shelters have worn thin after enduring over a year of sun and rain. Their repeated displacements have robbed them not only of their belongings but also of their dignity.
Everything around us is falling apart, urging us to stop. Yet, we are still here, trying. Every morning as we leave for work, fear grips us; fear that we may not return, or that we will return to find our families gone, as has happened to some of our colleagues. But despite the fear, we are resolute. We continue, because our people must know they are not forgotten. They must know there is still hope.
We cannot do this without you. Your support has been our lifeline, and together, we have been theirs. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for giving hope where it is needed most.
In solidarity,
Wafaa El-Derawi
MECA Emergency Aid Coordinator
Gaza, Palestine