The Ford Foundation is to provide life-saving support and essential aid for the Palestinian civilians of Gaza, it has announced.
Relief will be undertaken by the foundation’s representative and staff in the Middle East and North Africa regional office.
“It is our hope that world leaders will continue to commit the resources needed to support immediate humanitarian relief efforts. And philanthropy must also respond,” said Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation.
In a publicised statement, the president of the Ford Foundation shared his desire for philanthropy to go beyond short-term crisis management.
“Beyond financial resources, this moment transcends borders and communities and requires a shared commitment to our collective humanity. We are witnessing a torrent of misinformation and polarising commentary that fuels Islamophobia, antisemitism, and despair. We must reject these impulses and turn instead to compassion and our shared belief that we can create a just and peaceful world where all can flourish,” said Walker.
He added that the foundation remained committed to upholding the “principles of human rights and international law” for the Gazan people.
Much of the wider philanthropic world has been slow to respond to the Israel-Palestine crisis, and is now playing catch up.
Billionaire Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation has donated $10 million to support humanitarian aid in Gaza, too. Forrest said the donation provided will go to UN agencies and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).
“The people of Gaza are already suffering greatly. We feel a responsibility with the Australian government to do what we can to avert the rapid acceleration of this humanitarian tragedy, where innocent families are caught in a deadly crossfire that is not of their making,” Forrest said in a statement.
“This is capital which is specifically to help civilians who want nothing to do with this war have as normal life as they can.”
More than 3000 Palestinian civilians have been reported killed since Israel launched military strikes in Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 attack on Israeli settlements by Hamas that killed 1400 Israelis.
Shafi Musaddique is a news editor at Alliance magazine.
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