Gaza Humanitarian Response | Situation Report No. 40

06 Dec 2025

As of 18:00 on 5 December 2025, unless otherwise noted

This report, issued daily from Monday to Saturday, outlines efforts and progress made by the UN and its partners to scale up humanitarian response across the Gaza Strip under the ceasefire that entered into effect on 10 October 2025. For all situation reports see here.

HIGHLIGHTS

Health service delivery in northern Gaza surged after the ceasefire, with the number of active health partners more than doubling, and consultations increasing more than tenfold, from 5,000 to 55,000 as of mid-November.
On 4 December, the WASH Cluster distributed 35,607 dignity and 2,208 hygiene kits in the North Gaza governorate, reaching approximately 45,000 people.
Three hundred essential cleaning supply kits were distributed to 93 learning spaces in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and Gaza city to help mitigate the spread of communicable diseases.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Reports of airstrikes, shelling and gunfire continued across all governorates, with all incidents recorded east of the “Yellow Line”. On 5 December, OCHA helped the Palestinian Civil Defence coordinate the attempted rescue of an injured person in North Gaza’s Beit Lahiya area. The mission, initially requested at 17:00, could only proceed five hours later, when the Israeli forces approved the deployment, exclusively on foot, of a Civil Defence team to the incident location. Upon arrival, however, the team found the individual had already died. The incident reportedly occurred when a family comprised of a father, mother, and son went to their damaged home in Beit Lahiya to retrieve winter clothes; they were impacted by a shell near the “Yellow Line”, with the father – who was also a Civil Defence worker - succumbing to his injuries.

The Site Management Cluster (SMC) currently records 942 active displacement sites, hosting nearly 1.5 million people. The vast majority, 783, are makeshift or scattered sites, accommodating more than 1.1 million people. Site Management partners are operational in 356 of these sites, about 38 per cent of the total, undertaking winterization and flood mitigation measures as possible, despite the extremely limited supply of construction materials that entered the Strip over the past two years. This leaves most of the population sheltering in displacement sites without dedicated Site Management support. The Cluster has started collecting data on these sites to assess flooding risks and needs; so far, 170 sites hosting over 191,000 people have been contacted. Of these, 141 reported flooding during recent rainfall, directly affecting 65,745 people. This information is currently being reviewed and will be shared with relevant partners to help inform potential support and targeted interventions.

In Gaza City, the garbage mountain of solid waste at Faras Market has now reached 13 metres with an arrival rate of one truck every three to five minutes. New spontaneous dump sites are also appearing, all of which include medical waste mixing.

Only half of drinking water samples and 4 per cent of domestic samples meet standards and just 21 per cent of drinking water in health facilities is chlorinated. All partners operating wells, desalination units, or trucking have been requested to test water quality and inform communities.

According to WASH Cluster surveillance, Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) remain the most frequently reported conditions, accounting for an average morbidity of 60% and 39%, respectively. A rise in AWD morbidity has been observed among individuals aged ≥5 years, while a decline in ARI cases is noted.

UNITED NATIONS-COORDINATED AID ENTRY^*

On 5 and 6 December, all Gaza’s crossings were closed for offloading.

Collection of humanitarian cargo from the platforms into Gaza, however, proceeded. While no comprehensive information is available yet, at least 401 pallets of menstrual health management kits and 1,058 pallets of dignity kits, diapers, jerrycans and winter clothes were uplifted from Kerem Shalom for onward distribution to people in needed.

The above data excludes bilateral donations and the commercial sector.

Overall, out of 14 humanitarian movements submitted for coordination with the Israeli authorities on 5 and 6 December, seven were facilitated, three faced impediments and were only partially accomplished, two were denied outright, and two were cancelled by the organizers. Out of six aid cargo collection missions, four were facilitated by the Israeli forces, one was impeded, and one was cancelled due to lack of humanitarian cargo left for uplifting at Zikim. An attempt to undertake a reconnaissance mission of Salah ad-Deen Road on 5 December was only allowed for the first two kilometers; a new coordination request to cover the remaining section was denied on 6 December.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

Health

Health service delivery in the Gaza city and the North Gaza governorates has increased since the announcement of the ceasefire, with the number of active health partners nearly doubling from 16 to 30, and consultations increasing more than tenfold, from 5,000 before the ceasefire to 55,000 as of mid-November.
On 4 December, the Health Cluster conducted a mission to the North Gaza Governorate to assess health service points (HSP) requirements. Initial findings confirm a critical need for a primary health care centre and a field hospital in underserved areas, while the reactivation of the Kamal Adwan and Indonesian hospitals remains uncertain due to repeated mission denials and military operations in the area. The Health Cluster has identified three locations for the establishment of these HSPs and will work with partners to address community needs in the assessed areas.
Between 3 and 5 December, WHO delivered 10 anesthesia machines to partner hospitals and supported a new field hospital set up in Gaza city with essential emergency department equipment, including beds, monitors, and emergency trolleys.
Between 24 and 30 November, one new case of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) was reported in Gaza, bringing the total suspected cases registered since 1 June to 142, including 21 deaths. GBS is a rare autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system attacks its own nerves, causing weakness, pain, and sometimes paralysis. In Gaza, the abnormal surge in cases is driven by overcrowding because of destruction and displacement and the collapse of water and sanitation systems, which increase the risk of infections that can trigger the syndrome.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

On 4 December, the Cluster distributed 35,607 dignity kits and 2,208 hygiene kits in the North Gaza governorate, reaching about 45,000 people.
Cluster partners installed 15 tap stands in the Al Satar area of Khan Younis, began repairs on Al Zarka well in Jabalya, continued water network repairs in Al Yarmouk and Shatia in Gaza city, and signed a new contract to repair two water wells, carry out maintenance and emergency repairs of 15 water networks, and ad-hoc flood mitigation activities.
A 3000Kva electric generator has been installed in Beit Lahia Central water well which now has the capacity to provide 220 cubic meters of water per hour and serve 30,000 people in Beit Lahia city.
As part of winterization efforts, cluster partners are cleaning inlet grills at both the Sheikh Radwan stormwater pond and Al-Samer sewage pump station in Gaza city. At Sheikh Radwan, water levels have dropped to 1.4 metres, partially reducing the risk of flooding; operating hours have been decreased to match inflow and maintain a steady water level.

Protection

Child Protection

On 4 December, Child Protection (CP) partners distributed 2,000 clothing kits to children in need and supported 100 families of children with protection concerns with essential shelter items to help them cope with current conditions.
In the north, partners organized an orientation session for 35 frontline staff to strengthen their skills in child participation ahead of upcoming activities.

Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response

On 4 December, GBV partners provided psychosocial support to 150 people through individual consultations. In addition, awareness sessions on GBV, sexual exploitation and abuse prevention, sexual violence, and legal rights reached approximately 350 participants across the Strip, while specialized mental health support continued across Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS).
On the same day, legal assistance, provided through individual consultations and group sessions, reached more than 60 people across the Strip, covering topics such as marriage, divorce, custody, guardianship, inheritance, and civil documentation.
On 5 December, a total of 400 women and girls received dignity kits and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) items through Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces (WGSSs) across the Strip, and an additional 3,000 dignity kits and MHM items were distributed to partners in northern Gaza to continue supporting vulnerable women and girls.

Education

On 4 December, partners distributed 300 essential cleaning supply kits to 93 learning spaces in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah, and Gaza city. These aim to promote better hygiene practices within the learning spaces and help reduce the risk of communicable disease outbreaks, particularly critical during the winter season.
On the same day, four High-Performance Tents (HPTs), each measuring 48 square meters, were installed in two schools east of Gaza city to expand in-person learning spaces and accommodate increased student enrollment.

* All figures solely refer to UN and partner assistance dispatched through the UN-coordinated system. They are preliminary and will be reconciled in the course of the ceasefire. Supplies entering through bilateral donations and the commercial sector are not reflected.