Hi everyone,

We are Izzy (12), Amelie (10) and Will (8). This week, we saw photos in the newspaper that shocked and upset us. Children—just like us and our 18 month old sister—are starving to death in Gaza because of the ongoing crisis there. They have lost family members and are terrified every minute of the day. We haven’t been able to stop thinking about them. We have talked about just how lucky we are to have food, clean water, safety, access to medical care and a home, and we want to do something to help.

We’ve decided to do a sponsored run to raise money for the Red Cross Gaza Crisis Appeal. Every pound we raise will go towards helping families who have lost everything—giving them food, clean water, medicine, and hope.

We want to run a collective half marathon (21.1km) between the 4 of us (Izzy 9km, Ami and Will 6km and Maddy will trundle her little heart out for that final 100m!).

We will be running no matter the weather, and are determined not to stop once no matter how sore or uncomfortable we are. If that’s the hardest thing we have to overcome that day then we are very lucky indeed!

Please sponsor us if you can. Every little bit will really help us reach our goal.

Further details, taken from the Red Cross Gaza Crisis Appeal website, are copied below.

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The humanitarian emergency in Gaza is catastrophic. Aid is desperately needed. Food supplies are virtually gone and the medical system is in ruins. Gaza faces the devastating risk of famine, with 470,000 people on the brink of mass starvation. Essential humanitarian supplies, including critical medication and infant formula, are completely unavailable.

At least 54,084 people have died, including 16,854 children.

470,000 people are facing starvation.

Over 123,300 have been injured.

Only 12 out of 29 hospitals in Gaza are functioning, with limited capacity.

90% of Gaza’s 2.1million population has been displaced.

Despite risks to their lives, dwindling aid and a lack of food, the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are working tirelessly with the resources they have, day in and day out to help the people of Gaza.

“The situation is only getting worse, where people not only struggle to have access to food, but also access to clean water and medicine, and to receive proper healthcare services,” said Palestine Red Crescent Society spokesperson Nebal Farsakh.

Your donation helps fund the Palestine Red Crescent Society and The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who have been on the ground since conflict escalated and continue to save lives, distribute aid and give hope.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society has:

provided over 1.6 million emergency relief items

almost 1,500 staff and volunteers working

supported over 900,000 people with health services

provided psychosocial support to more than 131,000 people

distributed around 1,000 hot meals daily to displaced people

set up four water purification stations

reached over 100,000 people with life saving services

operated 29 medical points and clinics

set up 27 camps for displaced people in Gaza