Gaza Humanitarian Response | Situation Report No. 51

19 Dec 2025

As of 18:00 on 18 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

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis finds that although famine conditions have been offset, about 1.6 million people are still expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity through mid-April next year.
As of 17 December, Food Security partners continued distributing over 1.56 million hot meals daily and had reached 145,000 families (about 725,000 people) with monthly general food assistance.
As of 19 December, rations are re-increasing to one food parcel, two bags of flour, and 1.5 kilograms of High-Energy Biscuits per household.
One child was killed by Explosive Ordnance in Gaza city, with three such incidents recorded across the Strip in 24 hours. Mine Action partners reached nearly 22,000 people with Explosive Ordnance Risk Education between 14 and 18 December.
Child Protection partners require urgent funding to sustain case management for high-risk children, expand winterization coverage, and repair damaged child protection service points and safe spaces.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, issued on 19 December, following the ceasefire in October, there have been notable improvements in food security and nutrition - yet the situation remains critical. Although famine conditions have since been offset, about 1.6 million people are still expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity through mid-April next year. This includes about 1,900 people in Gaza who would face catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) - the highest level, and more than 570,000 people who would face emergency levels (IPC Phase 4). The report projects that through mid-October of next year, more than 100,000 children under five, as well as 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, will need treatment for acute malnutrition. Presently, no child in Gaza meets the minimum dietary diversity standard, and two thirds of children are suffering from severe food poverty. The onset of winter and related diseases – combined with poor sanitation and hygiene conditions and limited access to safe and diverse foods – only increase vulnerability to malnutrition.

On the ground, shelling and airstrikes continued across the Gaza Strip on 18 December, including east of Jabalya in North Gaza governorate, and in As Sorani and At Tuffah neighbourhoods, south-east of Gaza city. The Israeli army reported that an Israeli soldier was slightly injured in northern Gaza. In Deir al Balah, gunfire and an airstrike were reported east of Al Bureij. In Khan Younis, gunfire and shelling, as well as airstrikes and helicopter fire reportedly caused casualties in eastern and southeastern areas, including Bani Suheila and Baten As Samin. Naval fire was reported off the coast west of Khan Younis city. In Rafah, helicopter and naval fire reportedly impacted Rafah city and the coast west of it.

Three Explosive Ordnance (EO) incidents on 18 December caused casualties: the first in Jabaliya, the second in Ash Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, northwest of Gaza city, and the third in Deir al Balah’s An Nuseirat Camp, which reportedly killed a Palestinian child.

UNITED NATIONS-COORDINATED AID ENTRY^*

On 18 December, UNOPS international monitors verified the collection of at least 384 pallets of UN-coordinated aid: 310 from Kerem Shalom Crossing, and 74 pallets from Zikim Crossing. These comprised inter alia 271 pallets of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies such as water tanks, jerrycans, containers and hand gel, 53 pallets of medical supplies, including medicines and equipment, 49 pallets of shelter items such as winter blankets, tarpaulins and tents, and 11 pallets of flour. Overall, between the announcement of the ceasefire on 10 October and 18 December, at least 177,477 pallets of humanitarian cargo were offloaded, and 155,221 pallets were collected from the operational crossings. Of the total, only 1,984 pallets, or approximately 1 per cent of all uplifted aid, were intercepted during transit within Gaza.

The above data excludes bilateral donations and the commercial sector.  

On 18 December, six out of 11 humanitarian movements inside Gaza requiring coordination with the Israeli authorities were facilitated, though one was not accomplished and two only partially. Four other missions faced impediments and delays, three of which were only partially accomplished and one failed. One mission was canceled. In the south, aid collection movements proceeded through Salah Ad-Deen Road, part of which was temporarily reopened for cargo uplifting following the closure of the Philadelphi corridor due to extreme weather conditions.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

The below are preliminary updates shared by Clusters at the time of reporting and will be reconciled and aggregated in the coming days as Clusters receive more data from the capillary network of partners active on the ground.

Food Security

As of 17 December, Food Security Sector partners had reached 145,000 families (about 725,000 people) with monthly general food assistance via 60 distribution points across the Strip. This represents 35 per cent of the 2.1 million people that partners aim to reach every month. While from 12 to 18 December partners had to temporarily reduce the standard family ration of two food parcels and one 25-kilogram (kg) flour bag (covering 75 per cent of minimum caloric needs), with sufficient flour stock available, the ration is increasing as of 19 December to one food parcel, two bags of flour, and 1.5 kg of High-Energy Biscuits per family, bringing coverage back up to approximately 75 per cent of the minimum caloric needs.
Hot meal distribution continues at pace. As of 17 December, 1,566,000 meals were prepared and delivered daily by 25 partners through 206 kitchens – 362,000 meals by 45 kitchens in northern Gaza and 1,204,000 by 161 kitchens in southern Gaza.

Protection

Child Protection
- On 18 December, Child Protection partners provided mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), positive parenting sessions, child protection case management, community-based protection activities, referrals, emergency care arrangements, and family tracing and reunification, reaching over 4,000 children, including nearly 50 children with disabilities and more than 2,000 caregivers. Over 250 children at high risk, including unaccompanied and separated ones, children without parental care, and survivors of violence, abuse, and neglect, received specialized case management and follow-up support.
- More than 40 child-friendly spaces, safe spaces, and child protection service points remain damaged or partially functional due to flooding, collapsed tents, and torn tarpaulins, causing repeated service disruptions.
- As part of the winterization response, partners distributed winter clothing kits to over 3,000 children, winter shoes to more than 2,000 children, and blankets, hygiene and dignity kits, diapers, and tarpaulins to over 200 vulnerable children and caregivers.
- Urgent funding is required to sustain case management for high-risk children, expand winterization coverage—especially for adolescents—repair damaged child protection service points and safe spaces, and ensure continuity of critical child protection services as winter conditions worsen.
- A five-day joint Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) training was conducted from 14 to 18 December for 20 caseworkers from Child Protection and GBV partners to strengthened frontline responses for child survivors. The training focused on ethical, survivor-centered case management, enhancing caseworkers’ capacity to identify, manage, and refer complex and high-risk cases, including GBV-related cases involving children, amid rising caseloads and severe operational constraints.
Mine Action
- On 18 December, Mine Action partners conducted three explosive hazard assessments in Deir al Balah and Gaza city, including in support of rubble removal efforts.
- Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) sessions continued across Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates, reaching almost 22,000 people between 14 and 18 December.

* 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.