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DALLAS, TX May 1, 2024 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed 10,196,500 Ramadan meals across Palestine as part of the Islamic month of Ramadan.
Eighteen truckloads of food packages were successfully brought into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing as part of Baitulmaal’s 4th aid convoy. Food for approximately 9,183,500 meals was distributed to thousands of displaced Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip. In addition to distributing food packages that contained essentials such as oil, flour, rice, dates, cheese, and canned goods, the charity operated Baitulmaal Kitchens in Jabalia Camp in northern Gaza and Rafah City in the south. Field teams prepared up to 2,000 freshly-made hot meals daily and provided access to approximately 150,000 liters of clean water at various locations.
In the West Bank, food for approximately 1,013,000 meals was distributed in Nablus, Balata, and other camps, as well as in Jerusalem. In addition to food packages, 8,500 ready-to-eat iftars were provided in the West Bank, and another 8,500 iftars were provided to worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
According to Ahmed Sherif, international offices manager at Baitulmaal, ongoing violence in Gaza has drastically impacted food security across Palestine.
“The most severe food crisis is occurring in northern Gaza, so our teams began to allocate resources there before Ramadan in order to maximize food preparation and distribution to displaced people there and in the south,” Sherif said. “We also made sure to distribute food in the West Bank and Jerusalem, where many families are also experiencing aggression and food insecurity.”
In addition to food package distribution, hot meal preparation, and water access points, the charity also distributed Eid clothes to 1,500 displaced Palestinian children in north and south Gaza, and held Eid celebrations to mark the end of Ramadan.
“Our compassion extended beyond the necessities of life to ensure that children in Gaza also experienced the joy of the holidays,” Sherif said. “We are very grateful to our generous donors for enabling these efforts and continuing to support our brothers and sisters in need.”
Since October 7, Israeli forces have killed approximately 35,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, injured over 70,000, and displaced more than 1 million residents, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Israel also imposed a blockade on food, water, fuel and electricity from entering Gaza, allowing only a fraction of aid trucks into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Baitulmaal has been on the ground in Gaza providing food, shelter kits, hygiene supplies, clean water, psychosocial support and other emergency aid since October 7. The charity has also successfully mobilized four humanitarian aid convoys, with a total of 53 trucks crossing into Gaza to date. Baitulmaal has been working in Palestine for more than a decade providing food, clothing, education support, seasonal giving, emergency aid and healthcare in Palestine, in addition to operating 400 water tanks in Gaza. Having staff and resources on the ground has enabled Baitulmaal to quickly mobilize emergency aid from existing stock within Gaza to families in need, as well as efficiently receive and distribute additional humanitarian aid through Rafah crossing.
Baitulmaal continues to provide aid during the current crisis and will deliver more aid into Gaza as the situation allows. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to Baitulmaal’s efforts in Palestine, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.
Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.
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