Conference Calling for Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza

The “Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza” Conference was held in Jordan yesterday, June 11, 2024. Co-organized by Jordan, Egypt, and the UN, the event included heads of state, government representatives and key organizations, including Anera. The purpose of conference was to enhance the international response to Gaza’s crisis, establish standardized measures, address operational and logistical needs, plan for early recovery, and secure commitments for a coordinated humanitarian effort.

Remarks of Sean C. Carroll, President & CEO, Anera | “Call to Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza”

On behalf of the staff, board, partners and donors of Anera, I thank His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan, President Sisi of Egypt and UN Secretary General Guterres for inviting me to speak to you today at this critical conference at a critical moment.

Since October 7, Anera’s work inside Gaza has been supported by more than 50 partners. Many of them are in this room. They include the United Arab Emirates, UNICEF, UNOCHA and other UN agencies, World Central Kitchen, the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, the Jordan Chamber of Industry, the Minderoo Foundation, Global Empowerment Mission, Islamic Relief USA, Direct Relief, Americares, Dubai Cares and many others.

Anera has done much on the humanitarian response in Gaza. With 55 Palestinian staff in Gaza, and eight aid distribution centers, we’ve delivered more than 27 million meals, six million medical treatments, and hundreds of thousands of other aid items and activities including shelter, clothing, water, hygiene kits, free health days, wound clinics and psychosocial sessions.

Our commitment to alleviating suffering knows no bounds, and we will continue to do everything in our power to support the people of Gaza and throughout the occupied Palestinian Territories. But our ability to deliver aid freely, easily and safely, knows far too many boundaries, borders and restrictions.

We, and all of us, face inhumane and immoral challenges to the delivery of aid, including the death of an Anera staff member, arbitrary rules changes, and inconsistent approvals even when supposedly no prior approvals are necessary.

For those reasons, our efforts are not enough. None of our efforts are enough.

Our urgent call is for the action that can come only when everyone acts in the knowledge that humanitarian aid and a ceasefire helps not only Palestinians, but Israelis too. And helps us all regain our humanity. Dehumanization and the degradation and death of innocent lives only perpetuates violence and suffering, and it must end now.

Palestinians and Israelis – just like any of us – can live in peaceful coexistence only when their respective measures of safety, security, dignity, freedom and prosperity are truly equal.

With your help, we must go beyond immediate humanitarian relief. And for this cycle to end, our work in response must soon lead to recovery and reconstruction. All of it built on a foundation of humanity.

To begin that process, I join in calls to Hamas and to Israel to agree to and adhere to a ceasefire. We need a #CeasefireNow and a #CeasefireForever.

Thank you for your support.