In Gaza, mothers struggle to feed their young children amid a shortage of baby milk formula, as Israeli bombing continues.

In Deir al-Balah, mothers are being forced desperately choose between feed their infants solid foods that their tiny bodies may not be able to digest or watch them starve because of a lack of baby formula.

There is also a shortage of hygiene products and nappies due to Israel’s blockade, leading to prices skyrocketing and mothers looking for alternatives.

Menstruating women also continue to suffer as sanitary towels and period pads are scarce, as is clean water and basic hygiene items.

Displaced women living in Rafah are so desperate, they are cutting out small pieces of the tents they rely on for shelter from the cold and rain to use as a substitute for period pads, which increases the risk of infection.

Many women in the besieged region have also said they go weeks without showering amid dire humanitarian conditions.

With more than a million displaced people currently sheltering in Rafah, the city has been overwhelmed, with more than four times its usual population as Palestinians fleeing war seek refuge in extremely overcrowded conditions.

ISRA-UK is preparing to send an all-female deployment to Egypt to prepare and pack two 40ft containers - one with emergency hygiene packs for women and children in Gaza, and the other specifically with baby formula.

Travelling during the UK half-term, the British women’s group will be fundraising to purchase baby milk formula; we well as packing boxes of period pads, panty liners, wipes, and mother and baby hygiene items and toiletries onto pallets in Egypt before the aid is transported directly to Gaza through the Rafah border, authorised by the Palestine Ministry of Social Affairs.

We need to raise enough money to send multiple pallets of hygiene packs in containers that form our aid convoy of trucks to Gaza.

We need your support to help make this happen. You can donate directly to our campaign via this JustGiving page or to the JustGiving page of one of our fundraisers.

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UPCOMING:

Women’s deployment | Egypt to Gaza convoy

A group of all-female fundraisers will travel from the UK to Egypt to process, prepare and pack a truck container of emergency sanitary and hygiene items which will be delivered to Gaza, Palestine. This group’s deployment commitment will be limited to Egypt.

Travel dates: May Half -Team Week.

Limited spaces. Minimum £3,000 fundraising target, plus £500 registration fee. To join the all-women's team, you can register your interest here:

Find out more here: www.israuk.org/womens-deployment

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We need your support to help make this happen. You can donate directly to our campaign via this JustGiving page or to the JustGiving page of one of our fundraisers below:

THE TEAM (so far):

Please keep checking back here for regular updates.

To sign up to join or find out more about our future Egypt-Gaza aid deployment, please email info@israuk.org.

ISRA-UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (294263).