USAID West Bank and Gaza Active Citizenry Activity (ACA) Monthly Report #17 – February 2024

The Israeli military assault has resulted in significant humanitarian suffering, with 1.7 million people forcibly displaced, and an estimated 1.5 million squeezed into an overcrowded space in the Gaza Strip. The cold and rainy winter months have exacerbated the suffering, making living conditions unbearable for all Gazans, especially internally displaced persons (IDPs). The conflict has also had a devastating impact on the West Bank, with Palestinians subjected to Israeli military incursions, increased settler violence, and land grabs, resulting in the displacement of at least 1,600 Palestinians, including 596 children. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that 419 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers since October 7, with at least 100 children among the dead. At least 4,530 Palestinians have been injured, including 762 children. Since October 7, at least 122,072 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank have been killed, injured, arrested, or reported missing. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reported that 30,320 Palestinians have been killed, and 8,000 are presumed dead under the rubble. At least 71,533 Palestinians have been injured, and thousands have been detained by Israeli soldiers in Gaza. The conflict has also had a significant impact on the local economy, with at least 570,000 people facing catastrophic conditions due to malnutrition. Almost all children in Gaza require mental health and psychosocial support. The war has also resulted in the displacement of at least 19,000 children, with many losing at least one parent. The Active Citizenship Activity (ACA) has continued to work with West Bank CSO partners to adapt to the current situation. The team has made necessary adjustments to original implementation schedules, and CSO partners are generally on track with their revised grant implementation plans. Activities are being conducted in person and online, as needed, to mitigate risks associated with travel within the West Bank. ACA has awarded grants to 27 partner CSOs with a combined value of $4.4 million. These grants are designed to support the Palestinian civil society sector, media organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to become more active in decision-making and advocacy for citizens' rights and interests. The grantees intend to work with 129 cooperating community-based organizations (CBOs), thus multiplying the potential outcomes and benefits of ACA interventions. The current war on Gaza has caused ACA to pause all activities in Gaza, in line with USAID's guidance. Eight grants, valued at $1.7 million, are on hold, as they were working with 17 CBOs to serve 10,539 Palestinians. Until the situation permits ACA to resume activities safely and effectively, the team will focus on the remaining 19 grantees and 112 CBOs in the West Bank, serving more than 23,000 Palestinians. The ACA team has provided support for staff in Gaza, including access to professional counseling services, to ensure their well-being and ability to work. The team has also provided support for staff in the West Bank, who have faced frequent incursions, arrests, and destruction of property. The ACA team has continued to deliver capacity-strengthening workshops for grantees and worked with them to finalize institutional plans and other documents. Grantees have conducted their own training sessions for staff and implemented grant activities, such as awareness sessions and campaigns. The status of awarded grants is as follows: four grant full applications (GFAs) from Round 5 were accepted by the grant decision committee with comments/conditions. The final drafts are expected to be ready in March. Eleven GFAs from Round 6 (first batch) are under GARC evaluation. Two CSOs, Topas Sports Club and Seeds for Development and Culture in Nus, have completed MARC assessments, and a small capacity-strengthening grant with minimal activities may be awarded, based on the assessment results.