EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR GAZA
Help SAMS Rush Aid to Civilians
Update from the Field: Many thanks for helping us rush emergency aid to civilians in Gaza. Here is what your donation is helping SAMS accomplish:
- We partnered with the Palestine Medical Relief Society (PMRS) to deploy three mobile medical units in north and south Gaza, where their focus will be on providing medical care to women, children, and youth. Each mobile medical unit will include a general practitioner doctor (GP), an OB-GYN, a midwife, a social worker, and a nurse.
- We collaborated with the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) to deliver $50,000 worth of emergency medical supplies to Gaza in the early days of the conflict (October 12, 2023).
- We coordinated with Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) to provide $25,000 worth of emergency humanitarian aid, including food, water and hygiene kits to civilians in Gaza.
- We partnered with American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) to deliver $100,000 worth of medications to Gaza via designated flights from Jordan.
- We partnered with the Mersal Foundation to deliver $50,000 worth of medical supplies to Gaza from Egypt.
- SAMS leadership traveled to Cairo and attended meetings with the representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Egyptian Red Crescent, selected embassies, and local organizations working under the Egyptian National Alliance, the main Egyptian body responsible for relief coordination.
- We contributed $100,000 in emergency financial assistance to 135 medical students from Gaza studying in Turkey and left with no means of support. Additionally, SAMS is currently supporting 43 graduate medical students from Gaza who are pursuing their studies in Egypt.
- We worked with United Palestinian Appeal (UPA) to deliver $100,000 worth of food and clothing to internally displaced families (December 2023 - February 2024). These food parcels helped meet the nutrition needs of 6,327 people and clothing packages benefited 2,850 individuals.
- We coordinated with UPA to distribute 1,542 food parcels during the month of Ramadan in Mawasi Khan Younis and worked to distribute 1,050 hot meals in Ramadan 2024.
- We joined the Palestinian Medical Association (PAMA) and the Jordanian American Physicians Association (JAPA) to launch a March 2024 medical mission team of 10 doctors, and nurses who performed 300 consultations and 50 complex surgeries in Gaza over a two-week period.
- SAMS doctors provided specialized care in trauma surgery, vascular surgery, and ENT/Facial reconstruction. Teams brought over 70 bags of supplies and medications.
- We partnered with PAMA to launch a second medical mission to Gaza in April and May 2024 to provide urgently-needed medical services, while also hand-carrying critical medical supplies.
- We established partnership with Egyptian organizations active in Gaza Response to support local procurement and transportation of medical supplies to Gaza.
- We planned capacity building programs for local healthcare workers through collaborations with sister organizations like PAMA, with the aim to enhance skills in emergency care and trauma management.
- We continue to advocate for the protection of civilians, healthcare workers, and healthcare facilities.
Overview of the Crisis:
At SAMS, we are deeply concerned by the ongoing violence and the significant loss of civilian life in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. Since the conflict in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, more than 2.3 million civilians in the besieged enclave, including 1 million children, have been subjected to relentless bombardment, forced displacement, physical and psychological trauma, and a complete or partial blockade of humanitarian aid, including food, safe water, fuel, electricity, medicine, and other life-sustaining support.
As of October 3rd, 2024, at least 41,788 people in Gaza have been killed, including at least 16,500 children. Another 10,000 people are missing and believed to buried under the rubble. At least 96,794 people in Gaza have been injured, including thousands of children. 
For nearly 12 straight months, civilians in Gaza have been subjected to relentless aerial bombardment, gunfire, and tank shelling, which has killed, maimed, and deeply traumatized thousands of men, women, and children.
It is estimated that at least 60% of Gaza's housing units have been destroyed and significant damage has been inflicted upon critical civilian infrastructure, including water, sanitation and other essential services, affecting people's ability to maintain their dignity, health, and basic living standards.
An estimated 1.9 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced by the conflict — 90 percent of Gaza's population, according to the United Nations. Many people have been forced to flee multiple times.
Displaced families have fled for their lives and are living in shelters or makeshift tents that can barely withstand the elements, let alone bombs and airstrikes. Because water, sanitation, and hygiene services are broken down and supplies of clean water are dwindling, families also face the risk of an outbreak of deadly infectious diseases like cholera. The impact on children is severe, as they are more susceptible to dehydration, diarrhea, disease, and malnutrition.
Fewer than half of Gaza's hospitals are operational, while people's health needs increase by the day. Healthcare workers in Gaza are treating patients with catastrophic injuries like amputations, crushed limbs, and severe burns, many forced to perform complex surgeries on patients with limited or no access to anesthesia.
As the conflict continues, Gaza faces enormous healthcare challenges such as a shortage of medical staff, including specialized surgeons, neurosurgeons, and intensive care staff, as well as a lack of fuel, clean water, medical equipment, medical supplies, and medications, including anesthesia, antibiotics, and pain relief medicines.
Under the constant threat of bombardment and crippling shortages of essential medical supplies and equipment, Gaza’s brave healthcare workers face unprecedented challenges to provide medical care to thousands of injured civilians, while also coping with unrelenting psychological stress, exhaustion, and the traumatic death or injury of family members. So far, more than 1,151 healthcare workers have lost their lives in Gaza.
Thousands of civilians who have been wounded are now amputees and will require specialized surgeries, physiotherapy, and prosthetics. In addition to the immediate physical injuries, there are people in Gaza at risk of death from preventable diseases like cancer or kidney issues caused by disruptions to critical health care services like chemotherapy and dialysis. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable.
People in Gaza are also at risk of famine unless access to adequate food, clean water, health and sanitation services is urgently restored. The entire population – of Gaza -- up to 2.3 million people – is suffering crisis or worse levels of food insecurity.
How You Can Help:
Today, we ask you to partner with SAMS to deliver emergency aid to civilians in Gaza. Your donation will help us rush food, medications, medical supplies, and other life-saving aid to families and children in Gaza. Make a life-saving gift today. Every second counts. Mail donations to Syrian American Medical Society Foundation PO Box 34115, Washington, DC 20043.
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) global medical relief organization that is working on the front lines of crisis relief in Syria and beyond to alleviate suffering and save lives. TAX ID 16-1717058. Learn more here: www.sams-usa.net For every dollar donated in 2023, 93 cents went directly into relief programs.
Update from the Field: Many thanks for helping us rush emergency aid to civilians in Gaza. Here is what your donation is helping SAMS accomplish:
- We partnered with the Palestine Medical Relief Society (PMRS) to deploy three mobile medical units in north and south Gaza, where their focus will be on providing medical care to women, children, and youth. Each mobile medical unit will include a general practitioner doctor (GP), an OB-GYN, a midwife, a social worker, and a nurse.
- We collaborated with the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) to deliver $50,000 worth of emergency medical supplies to Gaza in the early days of the conflict (October 12, 2023).
- We coordinated with Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) to provide $25,000 worth of emergency humanitarian aid, including food, water and hygiene kits to civilians in Gaza.
- We partnered with American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) to deliver $100,000 worth of medications to Gaza via designated flights from Jordan.
- We partnered with the Mersal Foundation to deliver $50,000 worth of medical supplies to Gaza from Egypt.
- SAMS leadership traveled to Cairo and attended meetings with the representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Egyptian Red Crescent, selected embassies, and local organizations working under the Egyptian National Alliance, the main Egyptian body responsible for relief coordination.
- We contributed $100,000 in emergency financial assistance to 135 medical students from Gaza studying in Turkey and left with no means of support. Additionally, SAMS is currently supporting 43 graduate medical students from Gaza who are pursuing their studies in Egypt.
- We worked with United Palestinian Appeal (UPA) to deliver $100,000 worth of food and clothing to internally displaced families (December 2023 - February 2024). These food parcels helped meet the nutrition needs of 6,327 people and clothing packages benefited 2,850 individuals.
- We coordinated with UPA to distribute 1,542 food parcels during the month of Ramadan in Mawasi Khan Younis and worked to distribute 1,050 hot meals in Ramadan 2024.
- We joined the Palestinian Medical Association (PAMA) and the Jordanian American Physicians Association (JAPA) to launch a March 2024 medical mission team of 10 doctors, and nurses who performed 300 consultations and 50 complex surgeries in Gaza over a two-week period.
- SAMS doctors provided specialized care in trauma surgery, vascular surgery, and ENT/Facial reconstruction. Teams brought over 70 bags of supplies and medications.
- We partnered with PAMA to launch a second medical mission to Gaza in April and May 2024 to provide urgently-needed medical services, while also hand-carrying critical medical supplies.
- We established partnership with Egyptian organizations active in Gaza Response to support local procurement and transportation of medical supplies to Gaza.
- We planned capacity building programs for local healthcare workers through collaborations with sister organizations like PAMA, with the aim to enhance skills in emergency care and trauma management.
- We continue to advocate for the protection of civilians, healthcare workers, and healthcare facilities.
Overview of the Crisis:
At SAMS, we are deeply concerned by the ongoing violence and the significant loss of civilian life in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. Since the conflict in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, more than 2.3 million civilians in the besieged enclave, including 1 million children, have been subjected to relentless bombardment, forced displacement, physical and psychological trauma, and a complete or partial blockade of humanitarian aid, including food, safe water, fuel, electricity, medicine, and other life-sustaining support.As of October 3rd, 2024, at least 41,788 people in Gaza have been killed, including at least 16,500 children. Another 10,000 people are missing and believed to buried under the rubble. At least 96,794 people in Gaza have been injured, including thousands of children. For nearly 12 straight months, civilians in Gaza have been subjected to relentless aerial bombardment, gunfire, and tank shelling, which has killed, maimed, and deeply traumatized thousands of men, women, and children.It is estimated that at least 60% of Gaza's housing units have been destroyed and significant damage has been inflicted upon critical civilian infrastructure, including water, sanitation and other essential services, affecting people's ability to maintain their dignity, health, and basic living standards.An estimated 1.9 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced by the conflict — 90 percent of Gaza's population, according to the United Nations. Many people have been forced to flee multiple times.Displaced families have fled for their lives and are living in shelters or makeshift tents that can barely withstand the elements, let alone bombs and airstrikes. Because water, sanitation, and hygiene services are broken down and supplies of clean water are dwindling, families also face the risk of an outbreak of deadly infectious diseases like cholera. The impact on children is severe, as they are more susceptible to dehydration, diarrhea, disease, and malnutrition.
Fewer than half of Gaza's hospitals are operational, while people's health needs increase by the day. Healthcare workers in Gaza are treating patients with catastrophic injuries like amputations, crushed limbs, and severe burns, many forced to perform complex surgeries on patients with limited or no access to anesthesia.
As the conflict continues, Gaza faces enormous healthcare challenges such as a shortage of medical staff, including specialized surgeons, neurosurgeons, and intensive care staff, as well as a lack of fuel, clean water, medical equipment, medical supplies, and medications, including anesthesia, antibiotics, and pain relief medicines.
Under the constant threat of bombardment and crippling shortages of essential medical supplies and equipment, Gaza’s brave healthcare workers face unprecedented challenges to provide medical care to thousands of injured civilians, while also coping with unrelenting psychological stress, exhaustion, and the traumatic death or injury of family members. So far, more than 1,151 healthcare workers have lost their lives in Gaza.
Thousands of civilians who have been wounded are now amputees and will require specialized surgeries, physiotherapy, and prosthetics. In addition to the immediate physical injuries, there are people in Gaza at risk of death from preventable diseases like cancer or kidney issues caused by disruptions to critical health care services like chemotherapy and dialysis. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable.People in Gaza are also at risk of famine unless access to adequate food, clean water, health and sanitation services is urgently restored. The entire population – of Gaza -- up to 2.3 million people – is suffering crisis or worse levels of food insecurity.
How You Can Help:
Today, we ask you to partner with SAMS to deliver emergency aid to civilians in Gaza. Your donation will help us rush food, medications, medical supplies, and other life-saving aid to families and children in Gaza. Make a life-saving gift today. Every second counts. Mail donations to Syrian American Medical Society Foundation PO Box 34115, Washington, DC 20043.
The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) global medical relief organization that is working on the front lines of crisis relief in Syria and beyond to alleviate suffering and save lives. TAX ID 16-1717058. Learn more here: www.sams-usa.net For every dollar donated in 2023, 93 cents went directly into relief programs.