IsraAID supporting emergency relief efforts in Israel’s south

IsraAID, a leading Israel-based international non-governmental humanitarian aid organization, launched an emergency response on Monday to the current situation unfolding in Israel. As of Monday morning, more than 700 people in Israel have been killed and more than 2,300 injured since Saturday morning, and thousands more evacuated from their homes. IsraAID is partnering with local organizations and community initiatives to coordinate humanitarian efforts with an emphasis on providing psychosocial support and urgent aid to vulnerable communities, evacuees, and their families.

As an Israel-based organization with expertise in managing large-scale responses to crises around the world, IsraAID will utilize its experience to meet the immediate and long-term humanitarian needs of Israeli communities affected by this emergency. In times of crisis, mental health and psychosocial support are crucial to building and maintaining resilience. IsraAID’s response will focus on providing psychological first aid, stress-relief activities, and distributing resilience kits. The organization is establishing child-friendly spaces in hotels hosting families that have been evacuated from their homes in the Gaza border region. IsraAID will also train grassroots volunteers in psychological first aid, self-care, and burnout prevention, using their humanitarian expertise to support those who are supporting the community.

This is IsraAID’s second emergency response in Israel, following the organization’s work supporting under-resourced migrant and asylum-seeker communities in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In both cases, the NGO’s focus is on supporting partner organizations directly working with affected communities, utilizing its expertise to complement their existing response.

IsraAID’s CEO, Yotam Polizer, said:

“We are absolutely devastated by the scenes that have been unfolding since Saturday morning and our hearts are with all the communities experiencing this unprecedented crisis. As an Israel-based organization, we will do everything we can to share our global expertise and bolster local, civil society efforts to bring urgent support to communities in crisis. IsraAID has first-hand experience providing mental health and psychosocial support to communities facing disasters, conflict, and displacement – including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine – and we will continue to offer our support wherever we are needed.”

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Further information is available on request, including interviews with IsraAID CEO Yotam Polizer and other individuals involved in this operation.

CONTACT:

Shachar May
Email: [email protected]

Notes:

IsraAID is a leading international humanitarian non-governmental organization, based in Israel. Since 2001, IsraAID has become synonymous with a rapid response to humanitarian crises. Its medical teams, post-trauma experts, community specialists and other professionals have led international responses to disasters and civil strife around the world. During and after emergencies, IsraAID partners with local communities to re-build their lives, their communities and their futures, together. As of October 2023, IsraAID has responded to crises in more than 60 countries.