Cult of the Lamb and Wizard with a Gun publisher Devolver Digital took to X (formerly Twitter) last night to share that it had made a donation to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) providing aid to Palestinian refugees. The publisher shared the UNRWA link and encouraged others to do the same, if they are able. The donation amount was not listed.
Work with Indies, which is donating 100 percent of its revenue from October to relief organizations in the area, including Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and World Food Program, noted support for Devolver’s efforts on X. Oak Grove Games founder Esther Wallace is also seeking game submissions until October 20th for a “Games for Gaza” bundle on itch.io, to support Medical Aid for Palestinians.
The call for support is precipitated by a pressing and widely recognized need for humanitarian aid for Palestinians trapped in Gaza. After a Hamas attack on October 7th left over 1,000 Israelis dead, Israel cut off supplies of food, water, and electricity and initiated airstrikes that Palestinian authorities estimate have left approximately 3,000 dead.
The most recent UNRWA report, dated October 18, 2023, paints a bleak picture. A bulleted list detailing the situation in the Gaza strip includes entries like “UNRWA shelters are overcrowded and have very limited supplies of food, hygiene and cleaning supplies and potable water. The dire conditions, compounded by trauma due to the war, have started to fuel tensions among the IDPs in the shelters.” The report further details the water crisis and situation with medical centers.
“Only eight (out of 22) UNRWA health centers in three areas (Rafah, Khan Younis and the Middle Areas) were able to provide primary health-care services to critical outpatient cases and patients in need of treatment for non-communicable diseases.”
The report does go on to list statistics for patients treated at existing UNRWA facilities and the fact that “Advocacy efforts continue at the highest levels to ensure safe humanitarian access to deliver critical supplies into the Gaza Strip including fuel, food, water, medical supplies and other basic items,” and “UNRWA continues to advocate for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians to be respected.”