40 years ago, the U.K.-based nonprofit Medical Aid for Palestinians was founded with the goal of improving healthcare for all Palestinian people. When war broke out between Israel and Hamas in the fall of 2023, CEO Melanie Ward knew that her organization would need to respond to the crisis.
Ward immediately began working following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, distributing over $500,000 worth of medical supplies in Gaza in anticipation of an Israeli response. Since then, Medical Aid for Palestinians has provided essential items such as food, hygiene kits, blankets, mattresses, and over $7 million in medical supplies to those in need in Gaza. The organization has also sent six teams of international healthcare workers into Gaza to support local doctors who are overwhelmed by the large numbers of injured individuals and the limited number of functioning hospitals.
Due to the efforts of its local staff, Medical Aid for Palestinians remains one of the few international aid groups with a physical presence in northern Gaza, the hardest-hit area. Ward’s role in this crisis involves not only strategizing the organization’s response but also advocating for support from world leaders. She has briefed King Charles III, Members of the U.K. Parliament, and U.N. representatives on the situation on the ground in Gaza and emphasizes the importance of bearing witness to the crisis in addition to providing direct aid.