FAQs on Anera's Emergency Response in Gaza

Anera does not request, authorize, or coordinate any armed presence for our humanitarian aid shipments. We adhere strictly to established humanitarian protocols to ensure aid is delivered safely, impartially, and with dignity. However, in highly volatile environments, we cannot control the actions of external actors near our convoys. While desperate conditions can sometimes lead to unpredictable or counterproductive behavior, our team remains committed to best practices and principled humanitarian delivery at all times.

Anera also does not, and will never, respond to looting or civil unrest with force. Our teams are trained to de-escalate and withdraw if security conditions deteriorate. We are committed to preserving the safety of civilians, aid workers, and the humanitarian principles that guide our work.

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Since October 2023, Anera has delivered 1,400+ tons of humanitarian relief items in Gaza. Anera has done this principally in two ways. The first is by using cash donations to procure goods locally from known and trusted vendors — this was generally more practical in the earliest weeks and most recent months of the war. The second method is by receiving items trucked into Gaza, often donated by partners with entry facilitated by Gaza staff in Palestine.

Some of the aid shipped into Gaza is designated to go directly to Anera, while other goods are brought in by and/or delivered to other organizations and agencies, such as UN agencies, who then partner with Anera to deliver them “the last mile” to the intended beneficiaries. In either case, Anera packages (or cooks) and delivers that aid to those who need it most.

To make this happen, Anera’s staff in Gaza, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Amman and the US work together and with the appropriate parties, such as governments, military-civilian coordinators, logistics companies and humanitarian actors, including some 50 other partners, to coordinate the necessary arrangements.

Deliveries since the beginning of March 2025 have become very restricted, with the internationally accepted humanitarian mechanisms for distributions of aid impeded by the Israel government and replace by its Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Since these restrictions went into effect, Anera has been able to successfully bring in and distribute 10 trucks of aid.

The amount of aid currently entering Gaza is certainly not nearly enough to meet the needs of this humanitarian catastrophe. Anera remains committed to serving Gaza’s civilians. We urge the international community to reject untested, politicized mechanisms like GHF that restrict access and instead support principled, effective, and scaled aid efforts that reach people where they are.

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Anera prioritizes aid in Gaza by focusing on the most vulnerable families and delivering assistance with fairness, transparency, and in line with international humanitarian standards. We work through a broad network of trusted local partners – including clinics, internally displaced persons shelters, and community-based organizations – to identify households in greatest need.

Our selection process uses clear eligibility criteria. We give priority to large households (five or more members), female-headed households, and families that include individuals with disabilities, orphans, or pregnant or lactating women. While these groups are prioritized, the widespread level of need in Gaza means that we strive to extend distributions to as many families as possible. When demand exceeds capacity, we use a waiting list system to ensure others can be included in future distributions.

Anera is committed to delivering life-saving assistance with integrity, transparency and full compliance with U.S. law and international humanitarian principles. Our policy is to provide aid only through legitimate, vetted, and capable institutions – such as clinics, municipalities, and community-based organizations – that meet strict standards of accountability, management, technical capacity, and community outreach. These local partners are evaluated by Anera’s staff to ensure they are eligible and able to implement projects effectively.

To comply with U.S. laws, Anera strictly adheres to a no-contact policy with Hamas. We do not engage with, coordinate with, or provide aid to any Hamas leaders, affiliates, or related entities. All individuals and institutions involved in our work are screened against the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list of designated terrorist organizations. Because Hamas is listed by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist group, Anera has no association with them of any kind.

Once a project is completed, we produce detailed financial and program evaluation reports and apply robust monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness and impact of our work. Anera is audited annually by independent firms. You can read more in our accountability statement.

Since the war began in October 2023, we have no verified evidence that Hamas is intercepting Anera aid. We operate in a highly unstable environment in Gaza, however, where lawlessness, looting, and war profiteering are widespread. In some cases, organized groups exploit the breakdown of order and the extreme shortage of supplies – a challenge shared by all humanitarian actors on the ground.

Despite these conditions, Anera remains steadfast in its mission to serve those in need and continues to advocate for greater humanitarian access across Gaza.

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The truth is, no one is really safe in Gaza right now. All of Anera’s staff have been displaced from their homes and are staying in shelters with little food, water or electricity. Despite the very difficult circumstances, however, they are doing everything they can to deliver aid to their fellow Gazans. Their work is nothing short of heroic.

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In normal times, most medicines Anera delivers are donated by reputable international organizations, not purchased. In emergency situations, however, purchasing can be the quickest way to get the medicines to where they are urgently needed. We go to vetted pharmaceutical manufacturers in the area to make those purchases and to support the local Palestinian economy.

Given the very limited supplies of all kinds of items in Gaza, local purchases is rarer than usual. To make up some of the gaps in supplies, Anera barter medicines and other healthcare items among our clinics and other healthcare facilities across Gaza. 

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Aid is currently entering Gaza in very restricted amounts. Previously, on March 2, 2025 Israel imposed a total closure on the entry of all cargo into Gaza. After an 11-week (78 day) siege, on May 19, 2025 Israel opened a few select pathways to allow a very limited number of trucks to enter Gaza on an ongoing basis.

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Anera delivers humanitarian relief activities through our distribution centers/points in Khan Younis, Deir Al Balah and Gaza City. We also operate health clinics in those same three governorates.

While restrictions on humanitarian aid remain high, our on-the-ground team is dedicated to getting aid where it needs to go while following proper protocol. Our colleagues in Gaza recently received aid through the Zikim crossing under permission from the Israeli government, marking the first shipment in almost three months.

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In the first weeks and months of the war, we were able to purchase and distribute items from vetted local vendors. We still are purchasing some items locally, such as vegetable, most stocks are largely depleted. We are therefore working tirelessly to import aid into Gaza through whatever routes are currently operational, including at various times the West Bank, Israel, Jordan and Egypt. This includes food, medical aid, hygiene items and shelter supplies.

Anera works with many partner organizations to bring in relief supplies, including World Central Kitchen, the World Food Program, UNICEF, HEAL Palestine, Americares, Direct Relief and more.

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No, Anera does not handle this kind of transaction. Instead, Anera uses any funds we receive on delivering programs that provide humanitarian aid or services.

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No, unfortunately, Anera does not evacuate people.

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