Frequently asked questions
To help narrow down your query, we've created this list of Frequently Asked Questions, whether those questions relate to our events, our work, how you can help, or something else entirely.
About our work
Do you work directly in the occupied Palestinian territory and Lebanon?
Yes. We have offices in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Lebanon. The majority of our team are Palestinian, and live and work within the communities we support.
We deliver our work in partnership with Palestinian partners, healthcare workers and other professionals, ensuring that every programme is locally-led and designed to meet the needs of the communities we serve.
Because of these long-standing relationships, we can respond immediately in times of emergency, working closely with hospitals, clinics and community organisations.
Does your work actually make a difference?
Our work makes a real difference every day and our support can often mean the difference between life and death. Just a few examples of our impact include:
- In Gaza, we support paediatric and neonatal care, maternity wards and surgical services, and provide vital medicines and equipment to hospitals when supplies are dangerously low.
- In remote West Bank communities, where the building of permanent healthcare facilities is prohibited by Israeli authorities, we provide essential care through mobile clinics.
- In Lebanon, our midwives support Palestinian women in refugee camps through safe pregnancies and births.
Through this combination of emergency aid, long-term health system support and local partnerships, we help improve the health and dignity of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians every year.
Do you support any political organisations? Is MAP a political organisation?
No. We are a non-political, non-religious and non-sectarian humanitarian organisation. Our work is guided solely by humanitarian standards, medical ethics and by international humanitarian and human rights law, including the universal right to health.
We do, however, engage with politicians and policymakers to ensure Palestinians can access the healthcare they are entitled to. Our advocacy work raises awareness of the barriers to health under occupation and displacement, and calls for policies that uphold international law and human rights.
About our emergency response
How are you responding to the current emergency in Gaza?
We are delivering the largest humanitarian response in our history to meet the immense health and humanitarian needs caused by Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Last year, we reached and supported nearly 900,000 Palestinians, working with local partners across Gaza.
Even after two years of unimaginable suffering, our team in Gaza remains steadfast. With the ceasefire now in place, we are once again reaching northern Gaza and expanding lifesaving services.
Our teams are supporting hospitals, reopening health facilities, and delivering emergency care, clean water and vital supplies to displaced families. Our Solidarity Polyclinic in central Gaza treats more than 500 people every day, while our Emergency Medical Teams have performed over 1,500 life-saving surgeries.
We remain committed to restoring health services, upholding dignity, and ensuring Palestinians in Gaza have access to the care and support they need to recover and rebuild.
How can I support your emergency response?
Our ability to respond to emergencies depends on the generosity of supporters like you. You can help by donating to our emergency appeal – either with a one-off gift or by setting up a regular donation.
Please also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter and LinkedIn for updates, and share our appeal widely to help raise awareness.
Are you still able to bring supplies into Gaza?
Israel’s ongoing restrictions on the supply of aid into Gaza are making it extremely difficult for aid agencies, including us, to bring in humanitarian supplies. Despite the ceasefire agreement in October 2025, many imports of medical and humanitarian supplies by international NGOs have been blocked, and we are not currently able to send new shipments or deploy international staff or volunteers into Gaza.
Despite these severe restrictions, our team in Gaza is ensuring that lifesaving work continues. We are procuring essentials locally from Gaza’s limited commercial market, and working closely with partners who have their own stocks to keep vital services running. Crucially, our healthcare projects remain operational – from neonatal and maternity care to mental health, nutrition, clean water, rehabilitation and protection services for women and children.
Our teams are training healthcare workers, repairing and reopening damaged hospitals and providing safe spaces for those most affected by the violence and displacement. This is what sets us apart: because our work is locally-led and community-based, we can continue to operate even under siege.
Our Palestinian staff and partners are showing extraordinary fortitude, working every day to save lives and uphold dignity in the most challenging conditions. Internationally, we continue to advocate with partners and NGOs for unrestricted humanitarian access and an immediate end to Israel’s blockade on Gaza.
About your support and involvement
Donations
How can I donate?
By website: To donate on our website, please click here.
By telephone: You can donate over the phone by calling our Supporter Care team on +44 (0)20 7226 4114. Our phonelines are open Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm.
By cheque: If you would like to donate via cheque, please make it payable to Medical Aid for Palestinians and send to the following address:
Supporter Care team, Medical Aid for Palestinians, 50 Featherstone Street, London, EC1Y 8RT.
Please include your supporter ID number on the back of the cheque or provide a cover letter with your contact details. This will enable us to allocate the donation to your record and thank you for your kind support.
Please note that from 1st April 2026, we can no longer accept cheques from outside of the UK due to changes introduced by our banking provider. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
By BACS : If you would like to donate via bank transfer please give us a call on 020 7226 4114 or send an email to [email protected] and we’ll provide you with the relevant details.
How do I make changes to my recurring donation to MAP?
To access your recurring donation with MAP, please click the following link: Donor Portal | Medical Aid for Palestinians.
When prompted, please enter the email address associated with your recurring donation and you will receive a link to your donor portal. In the donor portal you can view your recurring donation and make changes to the amount, frequency and payment method.
If this link doesn’t work with your details, please call our Supporter Care Team on 020 7226 4114 or email us at [email protected]
I donated to MAP but haven’t received a receipt.
Thank you for your recent donation to MAP. Please be aware that it can take up to 2 weeks for an acknowledgement letter to be processed after a donation has been made. We are a small team and appreciate your patience with this.
If you have not received an acknowledgement after this period, please call our Supporter Care Team on 020 7226 4114 or email us at [email protected]
We are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
What are the fees added to my donation, and why do they exist?
When you donate to MAP, our payment platform automatically applies a 2.75% platform fee and a 1.22% processing fee. These small charges help maintain a secure, reliable, and user‑friendly donation system. They cover essential operational needs such as keeping the platform compliant with financial regulations, protecting supporter data, and ensuring donations are processed smoothly.
When you donate, you have the option to cover these fees so that 100% of your gift goes directly to MAP’s work. This is completely optional, but choosing to do so helps us make the most of every donation so we can dedicate as much funding as possible to delivering vital medical aid and support for Palestinian communities.
How do you ensure that the funds don't get into the wrong hands?
MAP takes the responsibility of ensuring that its funds are used solely for their intended humanitarian purposes very seriously.
We operate in complex environments such as the occupied Palestinian territory and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, and have developed robust systems over more than 40 years to identify, prevent and mitigate any risks of misuse of funds or resources. Our due diligence process applies to both organisations and individuals receiving funds, such as partners, staff or small grants.
For individuals, we perform identity verification, sanctions and security risk list checks, background checks and an assessment of need. Local MAP staff, being embedded in the communities where we work, are able to efficiently cross-check information and carry out practical background verifications. This local knowledge ensures that risks related to affiliations or reputational concerns are identified, and that funds and incentives reach the right people.
We continuously monitor risks and conduct spot checks, as well as regular internal and independent external audits, to ensure all resources are used for clearly defined activities that further MAP’s charitable objectives. Our procedures are adapted to the type of funding or activity, ensuring humanitarian principles are upheld while maintaining full compliance with UK law, including counter-terrorism legislation, and Charity Commission requirements.
Gift Aid
What is Gift Aid and am I eligible for Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a scheme that allows charities in the UK to reclaim tax on all eligible donations made by a UK taxpayer. It increases the value of your donations by 25%, meaning that even more money goes to MAP – at no extra cost to the donor.
To be eligible for Gift Aid, you must be a UK taxpayer and understand that if you pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all your donations in that tax year, it is your responsibility to pay any difference. For further information, please see: https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid
Can MAP claim Gift Aid on my donations? How can I ensure Gift Aid is applied to my donations?
If you are eligible for Gift Aid, please complete this declaration form and return it us by email at [email protected] or via post to Medical Aid for Palestinians, 50 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8RT
Which donations are not eligible for Gift Aid?
The following types of donations cannot have Gift Aid applied to them:
- Donations made by non-UK taxpayers
- Donations made on behalf of another person, a group of people or a company. This is because HMRC needs a Gift Aid declaration from each donor who has contributed to the total donation amount. If you are doing a collection and would like Gift Aid applied, please do use JustGiving as the Gift Aid eligibility will be recorded for you.
- Donations made in return for tickets – including auctions, raffles and events.
MAP’s Fundraising Activity
I’ve recently received a phone call from MAP, is it genuine?
MAP is currently running fundraising campaigns over the phone, working in partnership with Angel Fundraising Services and REAL Fundraising Services. You may have been called by the Angel team on 0203 455 8228 and asked if we could share an update with you on MAP’s work. These calls are genuine and are made to share updates on MAP’s work and, where appropriate, invite supporters to set up or increase a regular donation.
Funds raised through these campaigns support MAP’s lifesaving medical and humanitarian work for Palestinians. Your donation could help provide nutritional care for those facing severe malnutrition in Gaza, the running of vital services like neonatal intensive care units or the equipment our mobile clinic teams in the West Bank need to treat Palestinians in isolated communities.
If you would like to opt out of phone communications you can contact our Supporter Care Team by calling 020 7226 4114, emailing [email protected] or writing to Medical Aid for Palestinians, 50 Featherstone St, London, EC1Y 8RT.
Does MAP employ face-to-face fundraisers?
Currently, MAP does not employ any face-to-face fundraisers operating in public areas (streets, shopping centres, train stations) or via door-to-door visits.
Occasionally, at fundraising events, we may have bucket collections for cash donations. We may also have official bucket collector volunteers on the streets; these volunteer collectors will always have sealed buckets and will carry letters of authority from MAP.
Please remain vigilant if you are asked for direct cash donations in public areas and if you are unsure, have any concerns or questions about a face-to-face or door-to-door fundraiser, please contact our Supporter Care team on [email protected] or via phone on 020 7226 4114.