Planting Seeds for the Future

After two years of war on Gaza, Anera is preparing for what comes next.

Anera has served displaced and vulnerable communities for 57 years, whatever the political winds. The situation is uncertain, the needs immense, yet the steadfastness, the sumud, of those we serve remains unshaken. Over the past two years, Gaza has faced one of the gravest humanitarian crises in memory. The West Bank and Lebanon too have endured immense hardship. In all these places, and in Jordan and soon Syria, Anera continues its dual mission: immediate relief and long-term development.

Since October 2023, Gaza’s catastrophe has unfolded on a scale few imagined. Our teams have delivered aid under fire, through displacement, tragedy and trauma. But Anera’s work has always gone beyond emergencies — building livelihoods, water systems, schools, clinics and hope. True recovery requires dignity, stability and the rebuilding of institutions.

Yazdan, one of our Gaza staff, wrote recently: “The familiar contours of home are now piles of concrete. The hunger I see is deeper than empty stomachs, it’s a hunger for identity and dignity. When the war ends, we must rebuild more than concrete. We must repair our collective identity.”

Areej, another colleague, shared:

Even in the darkest moments, Anera’s staff keep showing up. The organization has lost two beloved team members to Israeli fire, and nearly all of our Gaza colleagues have lost family. Their perseverance demands that we rise to meet the moment. 

We welcome the ceasefire and a hope for a viable peace. The plan before us may not be perfect, but it offers a door: an end to the war, expanded aid and a possible path to recovery and self-determination. It all depends on political will, security and funding. If the door stays open, we must walk through it. If it does not, Anera will remain, as it always has, wherever the need is greatest. 

Anera is ready because of decades of investment in trust, relationships and infrastructure. Our teams are not outsiders parachuting in, but members of the communities they serve, carrying legitimacy, memory and deep commitment. Our systems meet global standards for transparency and risk management. And our focus on long-term development allows us to pivot from relief to reconstruction when the time comes. 

The war has left shattered infrastructure, weakened institutions and deep trauma. Yet, amid this devastation, we witness signs of endurance, communities clinging to dignity and life. We honor that steadfastness through action: by matching courage with resources and compassion with results. 

If this moment holds even a small opening, we must seize it together. Donors, partners, staff and supporters all have a role to play, to hold faith and help build a better future in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. 

If peace is to be more than rhetoric, we must be ready with humility, discipline and boldness. Let this be a recommitment: that Anera will not merely survive this era of crisis, but help lead the journey from suffering to dignity, from destruction to opportunity, from despair to hope. Together, we can rise to this moment.