Partner: Women of the Sun
When the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, many Gazan families found themselves stranded in Bethlehem. Some had traveled for medical treatment in Israeli hospitals and were suddenly unable to return home. Many were women and children, facing displacement, uncertainty, and the urgent need for food, shelter, medical care, and emotional support.
At the same time, families across the West Bank were also being severely affected by the war. Workers lost access to jobs in Israel, families living near conflict zones faced growing insecurity, and many households were pushed into deeper economic hardship.
What B8 of Hope Supported
In 2024, B8 of Hope provided emergency funding to Women of the Sun to support food distribution for families affected by the war.
Through its Emergency Food Aid Distribution project, Women of the Sun supported 20 families from Gaza who remained stranded in Bethlehem. The food packages were tailored to the needs of women and children, providing essential nutritional support during a period of profound instability.
Women of the Sun also extended support to 80 additional families in the West Bank who had been severely impacted by the war. This included workers who lost their jobs in Israel and families living near areas of heightened conflict and insecurity.
What the Grant Made Possible
The food packages provided by Women of the Sun were more than emergency supplies. For families living through displacement, fear, and economic collapse, they offered a lifeline of stability and care.
The grant helped Women of the Sun respond quickly and practically to families whose lives had been upended. It also strengthened a wider circle of community support, reminding families that they had not been forgotten.
A Story of Resilience and Care
One young mother from Gaza had regularly traveled to Tel HaShomer hospital in Israel for her daughter’s medical treatment. Her daughter, who has Down syndrome and a physical disability, needed specialized care that was not available in Gaza.
When the war broke out, the mother found herself stranded in Bethlehem with other Gazans. She was four months pregnant, caring for her daughter, and had nowhere to go.
Women of the Sun, working with local organizations in Bethlehem, helped secure housing and basic necessities for her and other displaced women and children. They also helped ensure access to medical care and emotional support during the first uncertain months.
Then came devastating news. After three months without contact with her family in Gaza, she learned that her home had been targeted. She lost her five sons, her husband, her mother, her brothers, and many other relatives.
She was left in an unfamiliar city with her daughter and her unborn child.
Five months into the war, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl in Bethlehem. With continued support from Women of the Sun and the local community, she began focusing on her daughters — one with special needs and one newly born — drawing strength from motherhood and from the solidarity around her.
Her story is marked by unimaginable loss. It is also a reminder of why emergency support matters: because in the most devastating moments, care, shelter, food, and community can help people survive and begin to rebuild.
Why it matters
This Emergency Response Grant helped Women of the Sun stand beside families facing war, displacement, medical vulnerability, and economic hardship.
For some families, the support meant food on the table. For others, it meant knowing that a community was present with them in a time of grief and fear.
Women of the Sun’s response showed how grassroots women’s leadership can meet urgent needs with dignity, compassion, and practical care.