Palestine Needs Rp19 Trillion in Aid, Mostly for Food

The Israel-Hamas war, which erupted on October 7, 2023, continues unabated. The number of victims affected by this war is steadily increasing.

According to estimates from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of November 6, 2023, approximately 2.7 million Palestinians require urgent humanitarian assistance.

The estimated total amount of aid needed as of November 6, 2023, is US$1.23 billion, or approximately Rp19 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp15,580 per US$).

This figure has surged from initial estimates. Previously, on October 12, 2023, OCHA estimated that only 1.3 million Palestinians needed urgent assistance, with a total funding requirement of US$294 million, or approximately Rp4.6 trillion.

This surge in needs is driven by the escalating war, which continues to threaten the lives of an increasing number of people.

"We have identified a funding requirement of approximately US$1.2 billion to meet the urgent needs of 2.7 million Palestinians – 2.2 million in Gaza and 500,000 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem – for the period October–December 2023," OCHA stated in a press release on Monday, November 6, 2023.

"This funding is the minimum required to prevent further loss of life, given the ongoing siege and bombardment of Gaza and the escalation of conflict in the West Bank," it continued.

OCHA detailed that the majority, or 24.7%, of this aid is needed to provide food assistance.

"This war has devastated the food supply chain in Gaza. Many families are facing acute food shortages. This is increasingly worrying and requires immediate action," OCHA stated in its Flash Appeal Occupied Palestinian Territory report, November 6, 2023 edition.

"The agricultural sector has suffered severe damage. The destruction of farmland, livestock, and food storage facilities is severely disrupting food supply and production systems," it continued.

After the food sector, OCHA prioritized approximately 18.5% of the required aid for the health sector, 17% for shelter, 12.1% for water, sanitation and hygiene, and the remainder for other sectors as shown in the graph.