Daily Work on the Frontlines of Gaza and the West Bank

Muhammad Atieh is Anera's regional project officer for product donations

Every day, our Palestine team's work feels like it's becoming more difficult as the situation in the West Bank and Gaza worsens. When I wake up, I immediately start thinking about the logistics for that day - whether I can even reach our distribution center in Hebron, which is only 17 kilometers away, or how we will get aid through the borders into Gaza. Logistics is a central part of my daily workload. It's a constant balancing act, and every day presents new challenges. But we're determined to keep pushing forward to get aid where it's needed most.

In the West Bank, the situation is starting to remind me of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was nearly impossible to move around. Checkpoints and closures were unfortunately a reality for us even before October, but in recent weeks, it has gotten much worse. Israel has closed off access to cities and towns, so navigating day-to-day movements from town to town - let alone governorate to governorate - has become an enormous challenge.

One of the biggest hurdles we face is the unpredictable nature of working with the Israeli authorities. Unlike in Jordan, where the rules and procedures are clear, the process in Israel is constantly changing. Just coordinating a shipment can take months, and even after it arrives, navigating the approval process is a delicate and often frustrating task. Since the start of the war, approvals for delivering to Gaza have come in one or two weeks, but even that timeline is fragile, as it depends on so many variables beyond our control.

Here's an example of a special challenge we're facing right now. There is a large amount of aid coming from Palestinians living in Israel. Despite receiving permission to send it to Gaza, Israeli inspectors turned it away at the border, telling us that Israeli citizens are prohibited from donating aid to Gaza. So, we're now at work on a plan b: to send the aid to the West Bank, where the situation is also dire.

To complicate things further, we are the only U.S. organization registered with Israel to bring gift-in-kind donations into Gaza. While this gives us a unique opportunity to help, it also means that other organizations often rely on us to consign their shipments. This has added to our workload, requiring us to process countless agreements with donors, while trying to cover all costs related to customs, transportation, and logistics. Right now, I'm working on agreements with about 60 organizations that want to collaborate with us. It's a challenge, but we need to coordinate effectively to move shipments. Gaza needs as much help as it can get!

Buying locally is becoming a big focus now, for several reasons. Local procurement bypasses the difficulty of movement across the border from Jordan. It helps meet needs quickly. It supports the economy, which is really struggling under movement restrictions and the loss of jobs in Israel. And it bolsters support for the Palestinian Authority, which is currently prohibited from receiving shipments outside of the territory.

We, of course, face constant logistical challenges moving aid inside Gaza. The south and north are basically cut off from each other. Though the vast majority of people are in the south, it's hardest for us to get aid to distribution sites there, given the desperation and chaos on the ground. Every day, I receive calls for medicine and other healthcare items. Just today, I got a call from our friends at the blood bank in Gaza. Their building was bombed at the start of the war, and they're now operating out of alternate facilities. I've asked them to provide a needs list so we can procure supplies for them from the West Bank.

I think the hardest part of all this is knowing how many people are depending on us. Whether it's a hospital in Gaza calling us every day asking for pediatric medications, or families in the West Bank who can no longer rely on jobs in Israel to feed their children, the weight of the needs is enormous. My team and I keep going because we know what's at stake. We answer every call, work through the endless paperwork, and coordinate with our partners because we know that, despite all the obstacles, the aid we provide makes a real difference.

As I sit here writing this, I can't help but feel the immense pressure we're under. But I'm also proud-proud of my team, proud of our partners, and proud of my connection to the Palestinians we serve. Despite everything, we continue to push forward, one shipment, one approval, and one life at a time.

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