For over five years more than 1.6 million people in Gaza have been living under land and naval blockade that has crippled the economy, limited their access to basic services, including clean water and health care, and reduced their life goals to mere survival. Limited access to sea and land as well as strict movement restrictions have also diminished professional and educational prospects for hundreds of thousands of young Palestinians, creating conditions that undermine any long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in this region.

"Any durable peace must be based on ending the blockade of Gaza and allowing its people to develop and prosper, rather than simply survive on the outside aid," said CARE Country Director David White. "The current cease fire creates an opportunity for both sides to forge a durable solution that would ensure security, dignity and wellbeing for people in Gaza as well as south Israel. We call upon the parties involved to ensure that the opportunity is not lost."

CARE is currently assisting 80,000 most vulnerable residents of the Gaza Strip, whose security and livelihoods have been undermined by the blockade, in meeting their basic food needs. The majority are women and girls who bear the brunt of conflict and poverty.

CARE International is an international non-profit humanitarian organization that seeks to end poverty and help people realize their rights. CARE International has been operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) since 1948. For the past several decades, we have been working in the oPt, where we currently manage an annual budget of 11 million USD, which benefits half a million Palestinians in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. CARE is currently assisting 80,000 most vulnerable residents of the Gaza Strip, whose security and livelihoods have been undermined by a 5-year long naval and land blockade, in meeting their basic food needs. The majority are women and girls who bear the brunt of conflict and poverty.