Gaza Humanitarian Response | Situation Report No. 52

20 Dec 2025

As of 18:00 on 19 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

Since October, Child Protection partners distributed winter clothes to more than 250,000 children. Approximately 630,000 adolescents aged 11 to 17 remain in urgent need of winter items support.
At least 2,407 children were treated for acute malnutrition in the first two weeks of December.
Two more Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs) have been established in Gaza city and Khan Younis, bringing the total number of functional TLSs across the Strip to 407.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

On 19 December, shelling and airstrikes continued across the Gaza Strip. In northern Gaza, gunfire and shelling, along with air strikes, were reported in Beit Lahiya, east and west Jabaliya, east Ash Shuja'iyya and At Tuffah in Gaza city. Near Ad-Durra Hospital in At Tuffah, a school sheltering displaced people was reportedly shelled, killing six and injuring five. In Deir al Balah, shelling continued being reported in east Al Maghazi and east and north-east Al Bureij Camp. The Israeli army announced the killing of a Palestinian who allegedly crossed the “Yellow Line”. Gunfire and shelling towards eastern and southeastern areas of Khan Younis reportedly killed four people, while naval fire was reported twice off the coastline. Northern and western parts of Rafah city were reportedly also impacted, alongside naval fire off the coast.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, six people were killed and 20 others injured in the last 48 hours.

Three residential houses collapsed in North Gaza’s Saftawi area and northwest Jabaliya Camp, while another building collapsed near Al Quds Hospital in Tal Al Hawa, Gaza city.

UNITED NATIONS-COORDINATED AID ENTRY^*

On 19 December, the Zikim crossing was open, while the Kerem Shalom crossing remained closed for truck offloads, with only collections allowed. Comprehensive data on UN and partners’ aid entry into Gaza remains unavailable at the time of reporting.

Overall, four out of nine humanitarian movements in the Strip requiring coordination with the Israeli authorities were facilitated and accomplished. These included the uplifting of at least 322 pallets of menstrual hygiene management and dignity kits from Kerem Shalom and the deployment of UN2720 monitors to the same crossing. Three other missions faced delays and impediments, two of which were not accomplished – including the collection of food supplies from, and deployment of UN2720 monitors to the Zikim crossing. Another two missions were canceled by the organizers.

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.

Health

On 19 December, WHO facilitated the medical evacuation of 25 critical patients and their companions to multiple countries, including Belgium, Italy, Norway and Romania. This brings the total number of patients evacuated abroad to more than 10,600, including 5,600 children, since October 2023. However, at least 16,000 patients remain in Gaza awaiting urgent evacuation to receive appropriate medical care.

Nutrition

During the first two weeks of December, at least 2,407 children were admitted for treatment of acute malnutrition. In 2025, 90,000 children diagnosed with acute malnutrition were admitted for treatment, more than double of the 40,000 cases recorded in 2024, despite multiple displacement and recurrent service closures caused by military operations.

Protection

On 19 December, the Protection Cluster continues expanding the pool of Emergency Protection Responders as frontliners, conducting two trainings in Gaza city and Deir al Balah. This brings the total to more than 400 frontliners trained across various areas of protection, including safe identification and referral, disability inclusion and psychological first aid.
Under the joint protection and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH) safeguarding initiative, mobile teams were present at 87 aid distribution points, reaching approximately 10,090 people per site. In addition, 375 people received assistance with protection and other key messaging.
Child Protection
- On 19 December, Child Protection (CP) partners reached over 5,000 children and more than 2,500 caregivers with mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), positive parenting sessions, case management, referrals, emergency care arrangements, and family tracing and reunification services. This includes 300 at-risk children - of whom approximately 50 with disabilities and/or conflict-related injuries – who accessed critical social services through case management and 45 children who were reunified with their families and caregivers.
- Life-saving winterization assistance, including tents, blankets and winter clothing kits, is being distributed to at-risk families and sites heavily affected by recent storms. Since October, more than 250,000 young children received winter clothing assistance. Analysis based on the latest available population data, however, indicates a critical gap in winter clothing support for adolescents aged 11 to 17. Aggregated estimates at governorate, municipality and neighborhood levels suggest that approximately 630,000 adolescents across the Strip are in need of winter clothing assistance.
- There is equally an urgent need for assistive devices for children with disabilities, as well as recreational kits to enhance the quality and reach of MHPSS activities in communities and learning centers.

Education

Two additional TLSs have recently been established in Gaza city and Khan Younis, accommodating approximately 1,037 school-aged children, with support from 39 teachers. Overall, 407 TLSs are currently functional across the Strip. While further scaling up remains a critical priority, it is heavily dependent on the timely delivery of essential supplies.
Heavy rainfall over the past week has affected at least 35 TLSs, 10 more than a week ago, affecting nearly 5,100 students. Although repair and mitigation activities are underway, shortages of high-performance tents persist amid growing demand. Many of the affected TLSs are built with substandard materials that cannot withstand severe weather. With additional rainfall forecasted, the risk of further damage remains high, posing an ongoing challenge to the continuity, safety and expansion of learning opportunities.

* 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.