Gaza Humanitarian Response | Situation Report No. 65

As of 18:00 on 29 January 2026, unless otherwise noted

This report, issued every Friday, outlines efforts and progress made by the UN and its partners to scale up the humanitarian response across the Gaza Strip under the ceasefire that entered into effect on 10 October 2025. The next report will be issued on 6 February. For all situation reports see here.

HIGHLIGHTS

• On 30 January, the Israeli authorities have announced the reopening of the Rafah Crossing in both directions from 1 February, for limited movement of people.
• Between 21 and 28 January, Shelter Cluster partners provided emergency shelter materials and other essential items to 11,826 households. In parallel, as part of the storm-response efforts, partners assisted 772 households affected by heavy rainfall with tents, sealing‑off kits, clothing kits, and other essential items. 
• OCHA and partners continue to support municipalities in the temporary relocation of populations living in high-risk areas, prioritizing families exposed to flooding risks, unsafe structures, and unexploded ordnance contamination, particularly where mitigation measures are not feasible.
• A lack of basic tools such as shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows is severely hampering floodwater clearance works across displacement sites, with accumulated debris and rubble causing mice infestations. 

SITUATION OVERVIEW

On 30 January, the Israeli authorities informed that the Rafah Crossing would reopen in both directions on 1 February for limited movement of people following prior Israeli security clearance.  The crossing will be coordinated with Egypt and under the supervision of the European Union, similar to the mechanism implemented in January 2025. It was also stated that returns to Gaza from Egypt will be allowed only for residents who left the Strip during the war and after prior security clearance by Israel, EU screening at the Rafah Crossing, and a second identification and screening process in a designated corridor operated by the Israeli military in an area under Israeli army’s control.

Earlier this week, on 26 January, the Israeli military reported that the body of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza was recovered and returned to Israel. This was followed by the reported release of 15 deceased Palestinian detainees on 29 January, bringing the total since the start of the ceasefire to 360.

Between 22 and 28 January, airstrikes, shelling and gunfire continued to be reported across the Gaza Strip. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza (MoH), 28 Palestinians were killed, and 62 others injured during the reporting period, bringing the total casualty toll reported by MoH since the announcement of the ceasefire to 492 killed and 1,356 injured.  

A military incursion in the Bani Suhaila neighborhood of Khan Younis forced 33 households to flee on 25 January. These households had only recently returned to displacement sites close to their former homes along the “Yellow Line” and have now been displaced again to nearby designated emergency shelters, where they require urgent clothing and emergency food assistance. Additionally, partners report that approximately 100 families were displaced in the last week due to military operations east of Gaza city, in the vicinity of Al Sanafour area. They sought refuge in an industrial building, in a stadium, and within damaged or partially destroyed homes. After the operation was concluded, families began returning to their previous locations despite ongoing risks and extensive structural damage across the neighborhood. 

Population presence remains significant in areas near the “Yellow Line”, with an estimated 14,133 households now situated between the “Orange” and “Yellow” Lines, including a newly identified cluster in North Gaza. Partners are working to identify underserved locations, including areas where distribution points are distant, and access to basic services remains limited. 

On 27 January World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted that 10 children had reportedly died from hypothermia in Gaza since the onset of the winter. An additional death has since been reported by MoH, bringing the total hypothermia-related deaths to 11. As cold temperatures and heavy rains intensify, families sheltering in poorly insulated and overcrowded makeshift structures are facing extreme exposure, increasing the risk of illness and death. WHO warns that winter conditions, combined with inadequate water and sanitation, are driving a rise in acute respiratory infections, including severe cases requiring intensive care, and reiterates the urgent need for sustained humanitarian access and the timely entry of medical, winterization, and shelter supplies. 

Site management partners continue to face challenges across displacement sites, with piles of debris and rubble obstructing stormwater drainage and contributing to frequent flooding. These floods have resulted in water entering tents and shelters, placing the displaced populations at greater risk of exposure and property damage. Currently, site management partners are active in only 387 out of 970 active sites, amounting to approximately 40 per cent coverage. Efforts to mobilize residents for flood water clearance are ongoing, but a critical shortage of basic site improvement tools such as shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows has severely hampered progress. As a result, large heaps of collected debris remain on-site, posing additional hazards. Of growing concern is the recent rise in mice infestations reported within several sites. Observations suggest that the unremoved debris and rubble have become ideal hiding and breeding grounds for rodents, further exacerbating hygiene risks for site residents. Immediate action is needed to provide adequate resources for debris removal and to address the rodent problems.

Adverse weather conditions also affect the food security response. Stock losses from spoilage and rain damage during entry into the Strip are increasing and are expected to persist throughout winter in the absence of improved access conditions. This is placing additional strain on limited warehouse capacity and already constrained disposal mechanisms.

OCHA and partners continue to support municipalities in the temporary relocation process of families living in multiple high-risk areas, such as shoreline and basin areas, as well as those living in unsafe or compromised buildings. Ongoing efforts prioritize families exposed to flooding risks, unsafe structures, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination, particularly where mitigation measures are not feasible. Identified at-risk areas include:

• Khan Younis shoreline: Approximately 1,000 households were targeted for last‑resort relocation due to direct exposure to high tides and coastal flooding. To date, 750 households have been relocated to East Hamad city, and 125 households to Al Matahen area. Additional relocations are ongoing north of Hamad city, pending mobilization of shelter support.
• Gaza city: Around 1,600 households are exposed to significant UXO contamination. Relocation remains pending due to community reluctance; initial intention surveys, conducted to gauge people’s tendency to relocate, have been completed, and joint engagement is ongoing with UNMAS, local authorities, and partners focused on reinforcing risk communication and community outreach. 
• Deir al Balah: Case‑by‑case assessments for approximately 300 at-risk households were conducted by partners. Some families agreed to relocate, while others expressed a preference to return to their areas of origin or remain temporarily in place. Coordination with municipalities is ongoing to identify suitable relocation spaces.

Partners are currently working on six potential relocation sites in northern Gaza. Preparatory activities are at varying stages, including site planning, ground levelling, explosive hazard assessments, and service mobilization. 

Overall, relocation efforts remain constrained due to limited land availability, community reluctance to relocate, and the need to sequence site preparation with service mobilization. Coordination with relevant authorities and clusters continues to ensure feasible and timely solutions for populations facing immediate risk. Several hundred households across the Gaza Strip remain inside unsafe or compromised buildings, with surveys currently underway to validate needs and confirm relocation options. So far, just 20 households have been relocated to East Hamad due to their buildings being at high risk of collapse.   

Efforts to respond to immediate weather-related needs also continue. Between 22 and 28 January, 566 families identified during the previous week received multisectoral packages that included tents, tarpaulins, bedding or blankets, hygiene and dignity kits, cereals, plastic sheeting, and clothing kits. Beneficiaries were displaced families residing across multiple camps in Khan Younis (south of Al Mawasi), Deir al Balah, and Gaza city. During the same reporting period, OCHA received another weather-related alert affecting 61 families in the Az-Zaytoun area of Gaza city. OCHA is coordinating with clusters to mobilize timely assistance. 

The latest WFP Market Monitoring and Food Security Analysis show that, during the first half of January, prices for most food items were lower than pre‑ceasefire levels recorded in early October 2025. However, most prices remain above pre‑crisis levels (September 2023), with increases ranging from 3 per cent to over 200 per cent for some items. Although food availability has improved significantly since the ceasefire, extremely high unemployment in Gaza exceeding 80 per cent continues to limit household purchasing power and access to food. Food diversity remains well below pre‑conflict levels, but steady month‑to‑month improvements in availability and consumption suggest a slow yet meaningful recovery. Although food consumption patterns continued to improve in January, with households averaging two meals per day compared to just one in July, one in five households still consumes only one meal daily. This highlights the importance of market revitalization and sustained humanitarian assistance to maintain and accelerate progress.

The Food Security Sector continues to advocate for safe access of fishers to the sea and for the entry of agricultural supplies, including seeds, nutrient soil, and fertilizers, through the private sector. This is critical as humanitarian partners continue to face challenges in bringing in aid supplies due to NGO registration issues. Resuming agricultural activities is essential for restoring local food production and reducing food gaps in Gaza. This includes reactivating vegetable and fruit production, supporting household‑level small animal rearing, restocking and providing livestock support, rehabilitating productive assets, and supporting non‑agricultural livelihoods through conditional assistance, whether cash‑based or in kind.

UNITED NATIONS-COORDINATED AID ENTRY^*

Between 23 and 29 January, at least 13,808 pallets of aid administered by the UN and its partners were offloaded at Gaza’s crossings, based on data retrieved from the UN2720 Mechanism dashboard at 19:00 on 30 January. About 61 per cent of these pallets contained food (61 per cent), followed by shelter items (19 per cent), WASH assistance (9 per cent), education supplies (3 per cent), health items (3 per cent), fuel (3 per cent), and nutrition supplies (2 per cent).

During the same reporting period, UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) international monitors deployed at Gaza’s crossings verified the collection of at least 15,365 pallets of aid – 8,178 through Kerem Shalom Crossing and 7,187 through Zikim Crossing. These comprised inter alia over 11,235 pallets of food assistance, more than 1,909 pallets of shelter items including tents, blankets, tarpaulins and kitchenware, 501 pallets of health items such as medicine and disposables, over 1,420 pallets of WASH items, 245 pallets of education supplies, 28 pallets of solid fuel and 3 pallets of animal feed.

Overall, between the announcement of the ceasefire on 10 October 2025 and 29 January 2026, at least 272,977 pallets of humanitarian cargo were offloaded, and 270,085 pallets were collected from the various crossings. Some 1,532 pallets, less than one per cent of all uplifted aid, were intercepted during transit within Gaza.

The above data does not include bilateral donations and the commercial sector.

Between 22 and 27 January, UNOPS distributed 897,460 litres of diesel to partners - 681,003 litres in the south and 279,457 litres in the north - to support critical water and sanitation, health, logistics, rubble removal, shelter, site management, telecommunication, education, nutrition and protection operations. Additionally, more than 1.2 million litres of fuel entered the Gaza strip during the same period.

Between 23 and 29 January, 50 humanitarian missions inside Gaza were coordinated with Israeli authorities, of which 30 (62 per cent) were facilitated, while 12 (24 per cent) - most of them reconnaissance missions to Rafah and assessments in northern Gaza - were denied by the Israeli authorities. Four other missions (eight per cent) were approved but faced impediments, two of which were eventually fully accomplished, and two only partially. Another three missions were cancelled by the requesting organizations due to operational, logistical, or security reasons. 

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 25 January, Food Security Sector (FSS) partners reached more than 240,000 families (1.2 million people) with household-level general food assistance through 52 distribution points across the Strip as part of the monthly distribution cycle. Each family received a full ration consisting of two 25-kg wheat flour bags and two food boxes.
• As of 27 January, partners continued preparing and distributing 1,740,000 million meals daily through 181 kitchens; 522,000 meals through 45 kitchens in northern Gaza and 1,218,000 meals by 136 kitchens in southern Gaza. Food safety during storage and meal preparation remains a major concern. While some partners are improving meal quality by adding protein and fresh produce, the lack of proper refrigeration due to lack of electricity continues to cause spoilage of perishable foods.
• It is estimated that every day, partners together produce bread for more than 43 per cent of the population in the Strip. Some bread bundles are distributed for free, while others are sold at a subsidized price across 146 contracted retailers. While not all camps or displacement sites can be served directly with free bread distributions, the setup of a wide network of retailers aims to improve accessibility to bread across the Strip. This is also complemented by ongoing large scale flour distribution at household level and revived commercial bread production/sale. 
• As of 28 January, partners had brought in approximately 650 metric tons of animal feed since the start of the year. One round of distribution was completed in the first half of January, reaching more than 2,000 herders across the Strip, with each animal holder receiving three 50‑kilogram bags of feed. A second round targeting the same group began this week. In addition, feed distribution to 200 donkey owners who support essential services is planned to take place.

Health

• On 26 January, WHO facilitated the medical evacuation of 24 children from Gaza to Jordan along with 36 companions. Overall, more than 18,500 patients, including 4,000 children, are still awaiting medical evacuation outside Gaza to access treatment not available in the Strip.

Shelter

• Between 21 and 28 January, Shelter Cluster partners reached over 11,826 households with emergency shelter and non-food items assistance through both in-kind and voucher-based modalities. Distributions included 2,261 tents, 3,136 tarpaulins, 21,955 bedding items and kits, 1,061 kitchen sets, 320 sealing-off kits, and vouchers.
• In addition, as part of the inter-sectoral joint response to storm-related incidents, partners distributed at least 440 tents, 152 sealing-off kits and 276 clothing kits, along with blankets, tarpaulins, and remaining items in stock to 772 households across the Strip, providing support to families whose shelter was affected by heavy rainfalls.
• Last week, UNDP received 208 Refugee Housing Units in addition to the 28 received earlier this month. Part of these RHUs will continue to support health facilities while three plots of land are being identified for RHU installation, and UNDP is carrying out levelling operations and site preparations. Beneficiary selection will follow strict prioritization criteria.

Site Management

• Between 22 and 25 January, Site Management Cluster partners carried activities across more than 40 displacement sites, focusing on identifying priority care and maintenance needs following recent extreme weather. Committees with 279 members, including 63 women, were established and oriented, and service mapping was conducted to strengthen referral pathways and identify follow‑up needs, including rubble removal.
• In Gaza city, partners implemented maintenance activities in 30 displacement sites, mobilized 150 cash‑for‑work laborers, and supported flood‑mitigation efforts through site cleaning and sandbag distribution. Community‑led initiatives and risk‑reduction awareness sessions were conducted in 10 displacement sites, alongside actions to mitigate Gender-Based Violence (GBV) risks, including solar lighting installations, mobile team training, and the establishment of community complaints and feedback mechanisms.

Protection

• General Protection
  • Between 22 and 28 January, partners reached almost 15,000 people - children, caregivers, women, persons injured and with disabilities, frontline workers and communities in displacement sites and shelters - with protection related services across Gaza city, North Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates. These included Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE), community‑based protection, case management, physical rehabilitation services, and winterization assistance integrated with protection monitoring at aid distribution points.
• Child Protection
  • Between 22 and 25 January, Child Protection (CP) partners reached over 5,000 children and more than 1,000 caregivers with psychosocial support and psychological first aid across Gaza city, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. 
  • As part of ongoing winterization support, over 1,400 children under the age of 10 were provided with winter clothing items, along with shoes and blankets. However, adolescents remain under-reached, with a persisting gap in support for this age category.
  • During the same period, assistive devices were provided to 87 children with disabilities, supporting improved access and mobility.
  • Partners report an increase in complex child protection cases such as family violence and child labour with at least 20 children identified as high-risk receiving case management support during the period.
  • Children in high‑density areas and along humanitarian access routes face increased safety risks from moving vehicles, made worse by prolonged stress and the lack of safe spaces. Ten high‑risk hotspots were identified, with the highest concentration in Rafah. The CP Area of Responsibility distributed bilingual Child Safety Guidance and coordinated outreach through 10 partners - 148 staff and 13 volunteers - who conducted almost 20 awareness sessions under the “My Life Matters. I Choose Safety.” campaign.
• Gender-Based Violence
  • Between 22 and 25 January, partners addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) provided psychosocial support to almost 1,400 women and girls across the Strip. Support focused on psychological first aid, emotional care, and strengthening coping mechanisms in a safe and confidential environment.
  • During the same period, partners addressed 15 new GBV cases through Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces. Survivors received counselling, follow‑up services, and referrals to specialized support in line with survivor‑centred approaches.
  • The GBV helplines processed 93 calls, offering immediate guidance, reporting support, referrals, and psychosocial assistance, ensuring safe connections to relevant GBV and protection services.
  • Partners addressing GBV also distributed 1,200 menstrual hygiene management kits and 63 dignity kits, supporting women’s and girls’ hygiene and basic needs. Assistance was further tailored to address the impact of harsh winter conditions. 
  • Legal awareness sessions, mediation support, and individual legal consultations have also been provided to 39 women, improving their access to information about rights, legal pathways, and available services.
• Mine Action
  • Between 22 and 28 January, three Mine Action partners conducted 317 Explosive Hazard Assessments (EHAs) in support of debris removal activities in Deir al Balah, while EORE sessions reached over more than 4,900 people across Gaza city, Deir al Balah, and Khan Younis. 
  • During the same period, five accident involving explosive ordnances were recorded in Gaza city and Deir al Balah, resulting in the killing of one person and injury of another four people.

Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA)

• Between 22 and 28 January, Cash Working Group partners distributed multi‑purpose cash assistance (MPCA) to over 23,000 households across the Gaza Strip. Each household received 1,250 NIS (approximately US$378) through digital payment modalities, in line with the agreed Minimum Expenditure Basket transfer value.  Since the beginning of the year approximately 106,000 households have been supported with at least on MPCA transfer.
• At the household level, affordability challenges persist, and financial access remains limited. Digital payment modalities continue to support the delivery of cash assistance, with increasing use of e-wallets and electronic transactions, helping ensure safer and more efficient transfers. Cashout services remain available across the Strip, with commissions fluctuating between 13 to 15 per cent in January 2026. These trends highlight the need for continued monitoring of market conditions, crossings, and transaction costs, alongside more consistent and predictable entry of goods to sustain cash-based assistance.

Emergency Telecommunications

• On 20 January, the internet service provider reported a major fiber break between the “Yellow Line” and the Israeli border, east of Khan Younis, further threatening already fragile connectivity in Gaza. Following coordination by the Cluster, access was granted on 23 and 24 January, allowing repair works and full restoration of the internet connection.

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* 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.