Here's what 2 Toronto organizations are doing to help deliver essentials to Gaza and Israel

Two Toronto-area organizations are working to get aid to those affected in Gaza and Israel as the civilian death toll continues to rise — but with no current access point to delivering those supplies to Gaza, one group says the need is growing more urgent by the minute.

"We're really worried about the 2.3 million people that are in Gaza," said Rahul Singh, executive director of Global Medic, a humanitarian aid organization based in Etobicoke.

"There's no electricity, there's no fuel, There's no clean drinking water. This is a humanitarian catastrophe."

Israel, more than a week after Hamas's deadly attack, has put Gaza under a total blockade and pounded the crowded Palestinian enclave with air strikes.

As of Tuesday, the number of people killed in Gaza has reached 3,000 with more than 12,500 wounded, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Of those, more than 1,000 children were killed by Israeli airstrikes. 

Israeli officials have said more than 1,400 people have been killed in Israel and another 3,400 people have been injured. The Israeli military said Monday at least 199 hostages, including children, were taken into Gaza — more than previously estimated. Hamas said it was holding 200 to 250 hostages.

Singh says he led a team in 2008 that entered into Gaza through the Rafah crossing, Gaza's only connection to Egypt, helping set up water purification units and provide relief in hospitals and clinics.

The group's first focus now is providing clean, drinking water to those in Gaza. The organization is preparing family emergency kits, which include water purification units, hygiene items and solar power, to ship to Egypt – and eventually, if the access point to Gaza opens, get them to Gazans in need. 

Steve McDonald, vice president of marketing and communications at the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation of Greater Toronto, says the organization has raised $54 million in donations to send to Israel. 

"Our focus is first and foremost on the humanitarian needs," McDonald said. 

UJA, which raises money to support Jewish communities in Toronto and globally, says the funds will go toward things like mental health supports, protective gear, and emergency medical kits for first responders. 

"One of the things our partners have said is that they need more medical supplies and that was our first priority," McDonald told CBC Toronto.

"Things like medical supplies such as gauze, bandages, Polysporin, Advil, but also basic goods like socks, underwear."

McDonald says the organization has also already shipped a plane-full of supplies to Israeli civilians.