The longed-for ceasefire in Gaza on Sunday brings renewed hope that the aid response can be expedited in Gaza, to support some of the over 1.9 million people currently in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.  

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For over 20 years, IHP has brought medicines to some of the world's most volatile places and fragile contexts. Since October 2023, IHP has sent eight shipments into Gaza. IHP’s Programmes Director, Louise Hart reflects on the impact of the ceasefire, what this means for IHP, the need for collective action, and the situation for our partners on the frontline.  

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What is your initial reaction to the ceasefire?

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Louise: “Alongside the rest of the international community, we welcome this long-awaited moment. The past 15 months have been gruelling and heartbreaking, and our partners have been on the frontline of distributing medicines in some of the most horrific contexts we have come across.  

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We stand with our colleagues at the WHO, UN agencies, and the international community as a whole in calling for guaranteed, unrestricted access in order to deliver essential aid supplies. Over half of Gaza’s hospitals are damaged or destroyed, and over 110,000 people have been injured.

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The task ahead is monumental and complex. We must see an immediate increase in the flow of aid, free and safe movement for humanitarian and civilian workers, and the lifting of all restrictions. Now is the time for streamlined approval processes, efficiencies, and action.

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The health needs we are facing will require a global effort. We are so grateful to our partners. I would encourage any potential donors or organisations across healthcare, logistics and the non-profit sector to come forward if they can support us.”

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What will this mean for IHP in delivering medicines and supplies?

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“Since the escalation of the conflict in October 2023, we have been one of only a handful of agencies that has been able to access the frontline with medication and medical supplies, working through a network of partners to send enough medical aid to treat over 559,000 patients. Our shipments have helped treat infected wounds, support mental health crises, deliver safe operations and treat chronic diseases like hypertension.

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Much of Gaza's healthcare infrastructure has been destroyed. With a ceasefire in place, we can expand our services through our partners, equipping health facilities like hospitals and clinics and healthcare professionals with the vital medicines they need. We are in the process of mapping this out, but we know this is a pivotal moment.  

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We know that alongside the urgent need for acute primary healthcare, like wound clinics, there are patients with chronic, longer-term conditions in urgent need of medication.  Increased access will open the floodgates for opportunities to these - from proactively treating and averting outbreaks of infectious diseases, to upscaling our roll-out of antibiotics, analgesics and diabetes medication, in addition to potentially creating longer-term treatment plans for conditions like diabetes.”

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How are your partners in Gaza reacting?

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“It is early days, and the situation is fragile. While, of course, there is a sense of relief that the fighting has stopped, the situation in Gaza is desperate.  Every day, our partners’ resilience astounds me. They are often working 18-hour days and have been, for many months, with families and friends, operating in highly dangerous conditions. It has been a privilege to work alongside medical and humanitarian staff who have an unspeakable commitment to serving those around them. Over the coming days, weeks and months, we will be supporting them to map out what this next phase will look like.”

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How can we support IHP during this time?  

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“Addressing the healthcare emergency in Gaza will be complex and require a global collective effort. We are hugely grateful to our partners and supporters, who have given so much already, and would be really pleased to hear from anyone able to support our healthcare response, from right across the spectrum – be that logistics or healthcare partners, givers of in-kind or financial donations, networks and partnerships, as we plan our next phase of support to Gaza.

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