Reflecting on the ceasefire and plans for the future of the Elham fund

Cautious optimism but not dropping our guard or relenting in our pursuit of justice and freedom

We all wait with baited breath about the first meaningful possible ceasefire. We have been down this road a dozen times but Israel has backed out of every single ceasefire.

Ceasefires are tenuous and fragile under any circumstances. Israel has notoriously a refused to honor ceasefires in the past. Without some kind of mechanism, and the will to enforce compliance, this ceasefire might only last weeks or even days.

Despite all this we wait and we hope that the genocide will come to an end and that the people of Gaza will be able to take steps to breathe.

We, the Elham Fund board, have met and discussed how we will operate if the ceasefire takes place and there is a meaningful opportunity for rebuilding Gaza.

There will be good news. Food and medical aid will begin to flow in. The blockade will not come down until the first phase is complete but with the emergency aid coming in we should see significant improvements in the quality of life for the people of Gaza. Prices will hopefully quickly drop to a manageable level. Hopefully there will be significant decreases in the fees taken for distribution of money. Children will stop dying from starvation, the cold and thirst.

But with all the chaos how will the Elham Fund operate and continue to serve the people of Gaza as best we can?

The first thing the entire board unanimously agreed upon was that a ceasefire doesn’t end our commitment to the people of Gaza. Rebuilding life to any sense of security and normalcy (if such a state has ever existed in Gaza) will be a years and decades long journey.

Our commitment doesn’t decrease because American made planes aren’t dropping 2000 pound bombs right now. We know that the ceasefire agreement can be reneged under any pretense by Israel and will likely be dismissed the second they feel that global pressure upon them decreases.

So we do not stop helping and we do not stop sharing and making sure the world continues to learn about the horrors that Israel perpetrated during this fifteen month massacre.

How we serve will likely change. One area we are discussing is expanding how we donate to larger organizations on the ground like schools and kitchens. They have greater capacity to directly serve larger groups than we can:

We are also in talks with other non profits doing similar work. We are looking for opportunities to share resources and more efficiently deliver resources to the people of Gaza.

As we continue to adjust to new realities we ask that you maintain your commitment even if the ceasefire becomes a reality. The people of Gaza will continue to need our help and support. We are grateful to each and every one of you for the support you have given and ask that the support does not decrease as the perceived need drops.

Thank you for all your support - the people of Gaza are grateful and thankful for how you have helped them maintain a shred of dignity during this 16 month horror. We will not stop until Gaza is rebuilt and until all the people of Palestine are free!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your support and generosity. Thank you for being a lifeline for Gaza.

Sincerely,

Hammam Farah

Executive Director

Elham Fund