Australian Red Cross response and impact

Australian Red Cross has channelled funding and provided humanitarian specialists to support the operation on the ground in Gaza, in the region and is supporting communities impacted here in Australia.

Funding

Funding provided through Australian Red Cross includes:

• $3 million grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to the IFRC’s Emergency Appeal;
• over $1.2 million in corporate and donor funding
• public donations channelled via Australian Red Cross website to the ICRC operation and IFRC Emergency Appeal.

Australian Red Cross has received a grant from the Department of Home Affairs to assist people from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory who have recently arrived on a temporary visa and are experiencing financial hardship. From 4 April 2024, Australian Red Cross is offering this extended Emergency Relief through its existing Safety Net Program. As of 30 August, $1,581,000 has been distributed from this grant to over 1,163 recipients.

Delegates

Australian Red Cross has deployed 12 humanitarian specialists, predominantly to the ICRC operation in the region. They include nurses, surgeons, emergency doctors, an engineer and a water and sanitation specialist. They are all providing lifesaving assistance alongside local colleagues. The organisation has also deployed a delegate to the IFRC regional office in Amman to help support its work on protection, gender and inclusion.

Auxiliary role

Australian Red Cross has a unique auxiliary relationship with the Australian Government that is recognised in international law and found in the 1941 Royal Charter of Australian Red Cross. This means that Australian Red Cross, as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, has a specific mandate to support the public authorities in their humanitarian work.

Our neutrality, impartiality, and independence ensure that we can operate effectively across the country, including in sensitive and challenging environments. 

During the conflict, Australian Red Cross leveraged its auxiliary role to engage in confidential humanitarian dialogue with the Australian Government about the humanitarian impact of the situation and key IHL issues of concern. Australian Red Cross has supported the repatriation of Australian citizens and family members on request by the Australian Government.

We have also promoted the importance of IHL and humanitarian principles by sharing ICRC and IFRC messages via social media.