Johanniter in Palestine
Why We Are on Site
Even after the ceasefire came into effect, the situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic. According to the United Nations, air strikes are continuing, resulting in deaths and injuries. Buildings and vital infrastructure have been destroyed. Many families are living in damaged homes – some of which are in danger of collapsing – or in overcrowded emergency shelters.
Medical care is severely restricted: many hospitals and other facilities have been damaged or destroyed. As a result, people with chronic and acute illnesses find it difficult to access treatment. Added to this is the water shortage. 91 per cent of the households surveyed have only unreliable access to water, which increases the risk of disease. Food and other relief supplies, such as materials for emergency shelters, are also reaching people only to a limited extent.
The situation is also deteriorating in the West Bank. Violence, the demolition of buildings and restrictions on freedom of movement are making daily life difficult for many people. In 2026, more than 4,000 Palestinians have already been displaced from their homes there. Access to healthcare, education and water is restricted. At the same time, there is a lack of funding, meaning that, amongst other things, food aid from the World Food Programme has been reduced from 400,000 to 200,000 people.
The situation for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is dire. Aid remains urgently needed.
At a Glance
How We Help in Palestine
Johanniter International has been active in Palestine since 2004. We have a long-standing partnership with St. John Eye Hospital, which is also a member of Johanniter International, the partnership of the four Protestant Johanniter Orders and their national relief organizations. The organization examines and treats people with eye conditions, thus protecting them from severe visual impairment or blindness.
With our support, the national relief organization Juzoor operates eight health centers that provide medical care to people in Gaza and the West Bank.
Since 2025, we have been working with the British relief organization UK-Med to rebuild the medical infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. To this end, two health centers in Gaza City and in the north of the Gaza Strip, which were destroyed by air strikes, are being put back into operation.