USAID supports the urgent needs of the most vulnerable populations in the West Bank and Gaza, including by providing critical food assistance, essential non-food items such as hygiene kits and medical supplies, and access to clean water and healthcare. USAID provides psychosocial support for conflict-affected children and economic opportunities to improve the quality of life of Palestinians.
USAID/West Bank and Gaza is currently doing this through the following activities:
Envision Gaza 2020
$50 million • Implemented by the Catholic Relief Services • 2016-2023
Envision Gaza supports vulnerable individuals and their families in Gaza to cope with ongoing stresses and unexpected shocks. Envision Gaza provides emergency assistance to vulnerable people with timely and appropriate humanitarian aid to purchase food and other basic life saving household items and training to local non-governmental organizations to enable rapid crisis response. In addition, Envision Gaza supports a range of livelihood opportunities for the most vulnerable and job readiness training for youth who have recently graduated from university or vocational training; and small capital grants to existing businesses to help them to restart, stabilize, or grow. The activity prioritizes those most impacted by shocks, like COVID-19 or the May 2021 conflict in Gaza.
Gaza Health Matters
$5 million • Implemented by International Medical Corps • 2016-2023
Funded as part of USAID’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Gaza Health Matters activity responds to urgent health-related needs in Gaza stemming from COVID-19. The activity works with health partner organizations to reduce transmission, improve case management, and increase vaccine advocacy.
East Jerusalem Hospital Network (EJHN)
$100 million • 2022-2025
Between 2022-2025, USAID will provide up to $100 million to support the East Jerusalem Hospital Network (EJHN), as announced by President Biden during his historic visit to Jerusalem in July 2022. As part of this commitment, USAID already provided $14.5 million in debt relief to EJHN to ensure continued support for otherwise unavailable life-saving treatments to Palestinians.
Since 2014, USAID provided the East Jerusalem Hospital Network (EJHN) with financial assistance to support necessary and life-saving treatments to tens of thousands of Palestinians. The EJHN delivers services for Palestinians that are unavailable in the West Bank and Gaza, including highly specialized medical services, such as pediatric cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterization, nephrology, ophthalmology, neurosurgery, and cancer treatment.
Humanitarian Assistance
In addition, USAID also supports vulnerable populations through humanitarian aid, and provides life-saving assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza through its Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). To learn more about BHA’s assistance in West Bank and Gaza, visit: https://www.usaid.gov/humanitarian-assistance/WestBank-Gaza
