̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ warns that Israel’s new plans for aid distribution will worsen the humanitarian crisis
- Israel’s total blockade on humanitarian aid has left essential supplies, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies, running dangerously low.
- The entire population of Gaza is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with one in five facing starvation.
- Amidst worsening conditions, the Israeli government approved a new aid distribution plan that would restrict humanitarian distributions to tightly controlled sites in Gaza.
- The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is concerned that this new modality would lead to forced displacement, prevent vulnerable groups from accessing aid, and make a principled humanitarian response impossible.
Israeli forces began airstrikes and ground operations after Hamas and other armed groups launched a deadly ground incursion and rocket barrage on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages. Israeli airstrikes, bombing and ground-level fighting have killed more than Palestinians, according to , which bases its figures on the Gaza Ministry of Health statistics. Attacks have also destroyed homes, hospitals, schools, shelters, religious sites and essential services like bakeries, leaving no place safe across the whole of Gaza.
Another ceasefire was announced on January 15, 2025, offering a chance to shield civilians
from further harm, achieve the release of hostages, and scale up humanitarian aid to meet the urgent needs of the population. However, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is gravely concerned that Israel’s renewed airstrikes on Gaza, which resumed in March have killed thousands of civilians, including children, and are ongoing. The collapse of the ceasefire, combined with the almost total blockade on aid, has further deepened the humanitarian catastrophe.
To fully protect Palestinian lives, secure the release of hostages, and safely scale-up humanitarian assistance and service delivery, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ urges the immediate resumption of the ceasefire and calls on Israel to allow for the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Gaza and the West Bank. More than two million Palestinians in Gaza—half of them children—are living without access to sufficient water, food and medical care.
Israeli operations have caused severe destruction and widespread death in Gaza. According to OCHA, more than Palestinians have been killed—and of the identified fatalities, more than 50% are women and children. Over 125,000 have reportedly been injured. Nearly 1.9 million Palestinians (about 90% of the population) have been displaced, most multiple times.
Meanwhile, the West Bank is facing the worst violence since the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) began in 2005.
In Gaza, mass displacement due to the ongoing hostilities and the Government of Israel’s displacement orders has worsened conditions in what was already one of the most densely populated places in the world. People are living in tents or self-built shelters that are ill-suited to weather conditions, exacerbate protection risks and fail to provide any sort of privacy or dignity.
The crowded conditions and lack of basic hygiene are creating a public health risk at a time when the health care system is on the brink of collapse. Attacks on and fighting around hospitals have left much of Gaza’s population without access to medical care, and the huge number of casualties have left facilities overwhelmed. Only about half of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are even partially functional. All are facing extreme shortages in staff, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and fuel.
The entire population of Gaza is facing crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity. Virtually all households are skipping meals daily, with many going full days without food. ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ staff on the ground report families dividing a single piece of bread among five or six members, and children regularly having to go to sleep hungry.
Persistent Israeli restrictions on the flow of humanitarian aid into and around Gaza are driving a desperate shortage of food, fuel, medicine, equipment and humanitarian staff in Gaza. Lack of access to clean water is driving people to rely on unhealthy water sources. Humanitarians are unable to operate effectively and safely under the current conditions.
Children are bearing the brunt of the conflict. More than 650,000 children have lost access to education as nearly 90% of schools in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Thousands of children have been killed or severely injured, while 17,000 have been separated from their families, putting them at increased risk of exploitation, starvation and mental health crises.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, more than 900 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. At the same time, more than 40 Israelis were killed in the West Bank.
The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is concerned about the impact of intensifying violence on the health care access and delivery, where our partners are surging medical supplies to the impacted hospitals. The fighting has been taking place close to hospitals and is obstructing ambulances, which restricts Palestinians’ access to urgent medical care.
In Gaza, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is delivering clean drinking water alongside sanitation and hygiene services, including building emergency latrines and distributing hygiene and menstrual health kits. We are also providing cash assistance to help families meet urgent needs.
Our protection programs prioritize the safety and well-being of women and children. In addition to case management, we’re helping children and caregivers cope with distress through mental health and psychosocial support. Together with local partners, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ teams are treating malnutrition and offering nutrition counseling and care for children and their caregivers. We’re also providing early childhood development activities to help children grow and thrive.
Earlier in the response, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ distributed food, supported emergency medical services in the few remaining operational hospitals, and deployed mobile health teams to deliver essential care, including medicines and supplies.
In the West Bank, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and our partners are initiating early childhood development activities and support for children and families affected by violence. This includes mental health care, psychosocial support, and help for survivors of abuse, as well as training frontline workers to respond in a safe and respectful way.
We are also supporting the Ministry of Health in the West Bank in helping communities become more resilient. This involves improving access to health services, training health workers to identify protection concerns, and strengthening emergency preparedness. We're working closely with local partners to make sure efforts align with national plans, connect health services with protection support, and reach the areas most in need.
The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is calling for all parties to agree to an immediate and lasting ceasefire as envisaged by UN Security Council Resolution 2735. We urge parties to immediately reinstate the ceasefire.
From a humanitarian perspective, a ceasefire is the best way to fully protect Palestinian lives, secure the release of hostages, and safely scale-up humanitarian assistance and service delivery. Humanitarians are unable to operate effectively and safely under the current conditions.
We call for an immediate and substantial scale-up of humanitarian aid, led by experienced humanitarians. With humanitarian needs sky high, more aid access is required not less. It’s imperative that aid access is now immediately resumed and aid flows unimpeded into Gaza.
Finally, the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is calling for all parties to immediately take steps to protect civilians and uphold international law.
Donate: The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ is delivering life-saving aid to Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank—but support from donors like you is critical in maintaining our operations. Your donation will help the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ provide Palestinians with emergency health care, cash assistance, clean water, hygiene supplies, nutrition treatment, protection services, and early childhood development activities.
Your $80 donation can provide medical care for a malnourished child throughout the course of treatment.
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