MEDIA ADVISORY: EMERGENCY PRESS BRIEFING FROM HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS IN GAZA AS ISRAEL’S TOTAL SIEGE ON GAZA MARKS TWO MONTHS

What

Today marks two months since Israel imposed a total siege on Gaza. Representatives from leading humanitarian organisations, including those who are in or just left the Gaza Strip, will brief the press on the devastating humanitarian impacts, as Palestinians facing starvation struggle to survive against the backdrop of a total siege which has blocked the entry of all aid - food, water, medicine, vital equipment - and commercial goods into Gaza.

Panellists will share testimonies on the unimaginable suffering people are experiencing as aid stocks run out and malnutrition rates rise, and will renew their urgent call for a full and permanent ceasefire and the unfettered entry of aid.  

The situation in Gaza has become increasingly dire since Israel broke the ceasefire on 18 March and renewed bombings and ground operations. People are risking their lives as they search for food, water and shelter under bombardment.  

Areas of focus

• Depletion of essential supplies and food stocks from markets and aid agencies, causing food prices to skyrocket.
• The resulting acute hunger and malnutrition, especially among children.
• The militarization of aid.
• Targeting of medical facilities and the dire state of medical care.
• The severe constraints of humanitarian aid delivery under Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

When

Friday, May 2, 2025 - 13:00 BST; 14:00 CET; 15:00 Gaza; 08:00 ET

Where

Please register in advance for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_81_sW6z3Tbqb_pPvEijgKg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Who

• Moderated by Jacqui Corcoran, Media & Comms Lead, Oxfam Jerusalem, Occupied Palestinian Territory
• Gavin Kelleher, Humanitarian Access Manager, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). He has been working from Gaza for the past year, advising on navigating the deteriorating humanitarian access environment, and focusing on getting aid to the hardest-to-reach populations.
• Ghada Alhaddad, Gaza Media & Communications Officer, Oxfam International. She holds a master’s degree in Public Affairs, which she earned through a Fulbright Scholarship. Ghada has worked in multimedia production since 2017, with various NGOs in Gaza and USA including Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children, Anera, and the IU Center of Excellence for Women & Technology. She is based in Gaza.
• Rachael Cummings, Gaza-based Humanitarian Director, Save the Children. She has been working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) since October 2023, initially based in Ramallah before relocating to Gaza in February. Rachael brings extensive experience in humanitarian public health. Prior to her current role, she served as the Director of Humanitarian Public Health at Save the Children in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where she led the Emergency Health Unit’s COVID-19 response.
• Amjad Shawa, Director, Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) and the deputy of the General Commissioner of the Independent Commission of Human Rights (ICHR). He worked as a teacher of the deaf from 1992 until 1999. He is a member of The Palestinian Resource Group on Conflict Transformation and is also co-founder and board member of a number of NGOs, and has written and spoken extensively on human rights and civil society issues. He is based in Gaza.
• Dr. Fady Abed, Gaza-based dentist, Communications and Reporting Officer, MedGlobal. He supports nutrition and health programs by working closely with frontline teams to coordinate and document the response to rising malnutrition, providing firsthand insight into its impact on affected communities. He is based in Gaza.