Gaza Humanitarian Response Update | 27 April- 10 May 2025

Response

• Between 25 April and 8 May, the Palestinian Water Authority and Coastal Municipalities Water Utility reported an average daily production from public utilities of 98,911 cubic metres of water across the Gaza Strip. The reduction in water production, approximately 7,000 cubic meters per day since the last reporting period, can mainly be attributed to the loss of Al Mentar – Mekerot water line from Israel, which was damaged on the 1 May and repaired by 4 May. Of the total amount of water production, 32 per cent (32,248 cubic metres) was produced by operating seawater desalination plants and through the three Mekorot pipelines from Israel. The remaining 67 per cent (66,632 cubic metres) were produced by municipal groundwater wells that have high levels of salinity. The WASH Cluster estimates that 50 to 65 per cent of the water produced is lost due to leaks in the damaged distribution network before it reaches people.
• As of 8 May, WASH Cluster partners reported that over 1,600 water collection points were operational across the Gaza Strip. More than 97 per cent of these points support water trucking activities by 29 partners, who deliver 19,844 cubic metres of drinking water and 10,453 cubic metres of domestic water daily on average.
• Since 30 April, solid waste at most of the spontaneous dump sites that emerged during 2024 has been collected and transferred to temporary dump sites. However, since the destruction of 30 waste collection vehicles and other heavy equipment vehicles on 21 and 22 April, collection capacity in North Gaza governorate has fallen below the rate of waste generation. Throughout April, daily solid waste generation in Gaza was estimated at between 2,500 and 2,775 cubic metres, while an average of 3,596 cubic metres per day was collected and transferred to temporary solid waste sites. As of 8 May, daily waste is transferred to 12 temporary dump sites, down from 20 dump sites that were accessible during the ceasefire, after eight sites became inaccessible in Israeli-militarized zones. 
• WASH partners are repairing the sewage networks in populated areas and, where possible, pumping wastewater to seawater outlets through pressurized mains. These efforts aim to mitigate the ongoing wastewater (sewage) crisis in Gaza, including critically high sewage levels in stormwater lagoons, such as Sheikh Radwan pond and Al Saftawi. To carry out these vital repairs, WASH partners are recovering sewage pipes from currently unpopulated areas; this is time-consuming and costly but is necessary due to the ongoing blockade on Gaza.
• During the reporting period, 960 cleaning kits were distributed in Khan Younis. During the month of April, WASH partners distributed about 103,000 hygiene items, 40,000 water jerry cans, and 8,000 hygiene kits across the Gaza Strip. 

Challenges

• The shortage in water treatment chemicals is elevating serious public health risks, with public sector stocks critically low and private sector operators closing due to the lack of chemicals. Since 2 March, the blockade has prevented the entry of these and other supplies into Gaza. These chemicals are essential for maintaining reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and for chlorination needed to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases. 
• Reductions in water production levels and the overall number of water collection points as well as increased population density at displacement sites are further limiting access to water. According to the WASH Cluster's third monthly light-touch monitoring survey using the WISE methodology, 90 per cent of surveyed households experienced water insecurity in April and 75 per cent of households reported worsening levels of drinking water insecurity. Amid these dire conditions, people are struggling to secure some of their basic WASH needs and are forced to make difficult choices between vital needs such as cooking and handwashing, often relying on unsafe water sources. With about 25 per cent of medical consultations linked to acute watery diarrhea, the WASH Cluster fears a rapid deterioration in public health conditions.
• There are critically low levels of essential hygiene items available in Gaza for families due to the blockade. According to the WASH Cluster’s Light-Touch monitoring survey, in April, households across governorates reported reduced access to soap, as it is largely depleted and expensive when available. 
• Lack of access to appropriate materials, particularly pressure mains, manholes, pumps, power generation equipment, spares and consumables, is severely constraining sewage management activities. This prevents the rehabilitation of pumping stations and network repairs. In April, all treatment plants stopped operating due to severe damage, and only a few pumping stations are partially functional, with key facilities, such as Gaza city’s 7B station, being too damaged for emergency repairs. As a result, sewage is being diverted into lagoons, such as the Sheikh Radwan and Al Saftawi lagoons, which now face frequent overflow risks, heightening the risk of sewage flooding into populated areas and the associated risks of disease outbreaks.
• Lack of access to the two main landfill sites, Johr al Deik and Al Fukhari (Sofa), along with the unavailability of essential spare parts and equipment for the solid waste vehicle fleet, are limiting ongoing secondary solid waste collection and disposal activities, increasing waste accumulation in populated areas, and rendering public health conditions more dire. In North Gaza, the Al Khozondar site is nearing full capacity, and no alternative locations have been identified. In Gaza city, Old Feras Market (150,000 cubic metres) and Al Yarmouk (20,000 cubic meters) have reached dangerously high levels of waste accumulation in populated areas, but there are no viable temporary dump sites that are currently accessible. 

Response

• As of 12 May, there were 22 Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) in the Gaza Strip: six in Gaza governorate, seven in Deir al Balah, eight in Khan Younis and one in Rafah. These include two national and 20 international EMTs.
• Between 5 and 11 May, 69 Health Cluster partners provided primary and secondary health services across the Gaza Strip. About 260,000 treatments, consultations and interventions were conducted. During the reporting period, routine immunization was ongoing in 24 health facilities to enhance coverage of the expanded programme on immunization (EPI).
• Between 28 April and 10 May, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) distributed sexual and reproductive health (SRH) supplies, sufficient to meet the needs of more than 4,280 women and girls across Gaza. Additionally, UNFPA opened a new Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care centre in Khan Younis.  
• As of 11 May, hospital capacity increased by 20 beds at Al Quds Hospital and 10 more at the field hospital in Gaza city through the support of Health Cluster partners. During the reporting period, Al Quds Hospital in Gaza city resumed eye surgeries, including trauma-related and cataract surgeries for diabetic patients.
• On 1 May, one critically ill elderly patient was evacuated via the Kerem Shalom Crossing to receive medical treatment in Australia. This was the first patient to be medically evacuated abroad since 19 April.
• During the reporting period, WHO supported the relocation of medical equipment from Durrah Hospital to Rantissi Hospital in Gaza city, ensuring the continuity of critical services amid ongoing disruptions.

Challenges

• The full blockade has had a detrimental impact on the availability of essential medicines, critical blood units, medical consumables and vaccines for routine immunization, hampering the delivery of lifesaving health services. This is in addition to an extreme shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) equipment, operating theatre machines, other medical equipment and essential supplies. The Ministry of Health reported that there is only 1,000 blood units available. UNFPA reported that, currently, not one medical facility in Gaza that provides obstetric and newborn care is fully functioning. Similarly impacted are cardiac catheterization procedures, which dropped by over 80 per cent since October 2023, with services now limited to just one facility and current waiting time between two to three months. 
• Ambulance services across the Gaza Strip are shrinking due to damage and lack of access to fuel and spare parts. Prior to the collapse of the ceasefire on 18 March, 149 ambulances were operational, of which only 48 are now functional, severely limiting emergency medical transport and outreach capacity. Hospitals are also in dire need of food for patients and medical staff.
• Limited trauma care capacity is a critical challenge. Since 18 March, the number of public trauma hospitals has decreased from seven to five. 
• Since 18 March, Israeli authorities have increased the denial rate of EMT personnel, particularly affecting specialized doctors and resulting in a 45-per-cent reduction in the number of international EMT staff, from 97 to 53. Furthermore, the proportion of trauma and emergency care missions denied by Israeli authorities has increased from 25 to 40 per cent between 18 March and 5 May. 
• There is an ongoing shortage of assistive devices across Gaza, while over 13,550 people are estimated to be in need of wheelchairs, walkers and crutches. Lack of timely and appropriate assistive devices increases the risk of complications for people with life-changing injuries, particularly given limited limb reconstructive surgeries. More than 4,000 people (23 per cent children and 15 per cent women) have undergone amputations since 7 October 2023. 
• Overcrowding, warmer weather, the near-collapse of the health system, limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities, and increased vulnerabilities, such as injuries and weakened immunity, are contributing to the spread of vaccine-preventable and skin diseases. During the reporting period, an increase in acute watery diarrhoea was recorded in Gaza.

Response

• During the reporting period, 50 international and local nutrition analysts conducted an in-depth analysis of the acute malnutrition situation, as part of the updated IPC analysis of food insecurity and acute malnutrition in the Gaza Strip. Specifically on nutrition, the IPC snapshot, published on 12 May, projects that, between 11 May and the end of September 2025, Gaza, North Gaza and Rafah governorates will be in Phase 4 (critical) for acute malnutrition while Deir al Balah and Khan Younis will reach Phase 3 (serious). Moreover, the snapshot projects that 71,000 children will need urgent treatment for acute malnutrition (compared with 60,000 initially planned for 2025 in the Flash Appeal) and more than 17,000 malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women will need targeted therapeutic supplementation. 
• During the first week of May, WFP and UNICEF distributed to their partners the last batches of key nutrition supplies, including lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) used for blanket supplementary feeding to prevent or treat malnutrition, and ready-to-use complementary food (RUCF) to support dietary diversity. However, the remaining items cover less than the needed supplies required to cover all the 290,000 children between six and 59 months for one month. These multiple malnutrition prevention interventions (supplementation, micronutrients, complementary feeding) are critical within the context of declining dietary diversity, helping to prevent the further deterioration of the nutritional status of children and pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) and to address rising micronutrient deficiencies.  
• In April, at least 68,291 children and 23,752 PBW were screened for acute malnutrition, of whom 2,900 children were diagnosed with severe or moderate acute malnutrition (SAM or MAM) and enrolled in treatment programmes supported by 13 nutrition partners, while 282 women were enrolled for targeted supplementation programmes run by two partners. 
• During the reporting period, and despite restrictions on movements between southern and northern Gaza, UNICEF managed to transport nutrition supplies from Deir al Balah to Gaza city and North Gaza to ensure the continuity of treatment programmes in these governorates. 

Challenges

• Shrinking humanitarian space and access constraints continue to impede malnutrition detection efforts. During the reporting period, Nutrition partners reported activities from 87 outpatient malnutrition treatment sites, down from 105 sites in March and 106 sites in February. Moreover, in April, the number of detection screenings decreased by about 26 per cent for children and 20 per cent for PBW compared with March, when 92,404 children and 30,358 PBW were screened. At the same time, the nutrition situation continues to deteriorate, with an increase in the proportion of screened children and PBW who have been diagnosed with SAM or MAM and linked to treatment programmes. 
• The blockade continues to limit the availability of essential supplies for partners to run nutrition programmes. All malnutrition prevention stocks are nearly depleted while some supplies in warehouses are in hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas or stalled at crossings.
• With no entry of specialized nutrition supplies and limited or no possibility for humanitarians to deliver nutrition and other services, people in Gaza are at risk of rapidly descending into the worst-case scenario described by the IPC, with a high risk of famine.  

Response

• Mine Action - During the reporting period, Mine Action (MA) partners operated with limited capacities and concentrated only carrying out activities critical to programing under a very high-risk environment – which are classified as Programme Criticality 1 (PC1) missions. Explosive Hazard Assessments (EHAs) were completed to evaluate debris contamination with explosive ordnance at two sites. The UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams conducted six impact assessment missions to support operational response activities of key humanitarian actors. Moreover, 130 Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) sessions were conducted in Gaza strip, reaching 1,027 people, including children, women, and men.
• Gender-Based Violence - During the reporting period, 40 humanitarian partners addressing gender-based violence (GBV) conducted case-management activities, providing legal aid and making referrals to essential services, noting a surge in demand for online case management and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services. They also delivered cash assistance, carried out MHPSS activities, and delivered four training sessions on the integration of MHPSS in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and GBV programming. Additionally, the GBV Case Management Task Team has conducted an intensive GBV case management training targeting 21 service providers from seven member organizations of the GBV sub-cluster. As of 10 May, 14 Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) remain operational. GBV services in Rafah and North Gaza governorates are currently only provided remotely. Four WGSS located in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and Gaza city reported a significant increase in women seeking psychosocial support. 
• Child Protection – During the reporting period, and despite the challenging operating environment, child protection (CP) partners continued to deliver critical services across the Gaza Strip, including: case management; awareness raising activities on child protection, individual and group MHPSS for children and caregivers; legal aid; cash-based protection assistance; rehabilitation services; and the distribution of the few remaining assistive devices. Specialized services were also provided for unaccompanied and separated children (UASC), including family tracing and alternative care arrangements, and in coordination with the Shelter Cluster, 25 caregivers of UASC were provided with family tents. Between January and April 2025, CP partners reached over 390,000 children (of whom 53 per cent were girls), including 3,680 children with disabilities, and more than 432,000 adults (of whom 54 per cent were women) with various CP services; these include more than 5,100 child who received individual case management support, of more than 51 per cent were girls. Key protection concerns reported during this period include heightened risks for children with disabilities, widespread post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), deprivation of resources, emotional abuse, family separation, and the continuing physical and mental toll of hostilities on children as conflict-related injuries among children continued to rise, with many resulting in long-term impairments. Additionally, from 27 April to 7 May 2025, the child protection AoR enhanced frontline capacity and inter-sectoral coordination through delivering a series of trainings, each lasting between one and five days. In total, 129 frontline workers received trainings, which covered different topics, including safe identification and referral, child protection case management, survivor-centered support for child survivors, and positive parenting skills.
• During the reporting period, UNRWA Protection teams carried out the following protection monitoring activities in UNRWA shelters and displacement sites: 52 protection observations, 45 key informant interviews and 51 focus group discussions in Khan Younis (including Al Mawasi), Deir al Balah, Gaza city and North Gaza. Across the Gaza Strip except Rafah, UNRWA continued to facilitate referrals to specialized services and distributed in-kind assistance, which is now mostly depleted, to over 900 people, including dignity and hygiene kits, children's clothing, child diapers, food parcels and bedding kits. Moreover, 68 awareness-raising sessions on child protection, MHPSS and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) were conducted, reaching more than 1,600 women, girls, men and boys.
• Under the Legal Technical Working Group (TWG), partners continued awareness-raising efforts, legal counselling and paralegal services, with a focus on marginalized women and girls. Legal services included support for guardianship, custody, and civil documentation. In April, one partner conducted 80 information sessions at displacement shelters across Gaza. Additionally, amid access constraints, several partners have shifted to remote and flexible service modalities, such as toll-free hotlines for inquiries and referrals, and submitting applications for civil documents to case workers. 
• Partners under the Housing, Land and Property TWG have launched, in collaboration with the Palestinian Housing Council, a phone centre and a mapping tool to help classify land types and verify ownership, developed in coordination with local municipalities. 

Challenges

• The extremely volatile security environment, combined with movement restrictions and deteriorating humanitarian conditions, continues to constrain the ability of partners to deliver critical protection, psychosocial, and other basic services across Gaza. Some partners have been forced to relocate or altogether suspend activities due to ongoing bombardment, displacement orders, access restrictions, and the blockade on the entry of supplies into Gaza. Movements of humanitarian staff are extremely limited, compounding people’s limited access to essential services. For example, referral pathways for GBV survivors have been severely disrupted, preventing them from accessing life-saving services such as healthcare, while access restrictions and limited access to shelter supplies have forced the closure of some safe spaces for high-risk GBV survivors and prevented the establishment of others. 
• Staff across all organizations face personal loss, insecurity, and resource shortages, and many reported that they themselves or their families have been impacted by starvation. This has resulted in significant emotional and operational strain on field staff. Moreover, during the reporting period, partners reported that they have increasingly avoided public venues, such as coffee shops for internet, due to the high risk of them being hit. 
• A shortage of MA personnel, administrative barriers (e.g. registration and visa issues), the blockade on the entry of supplies, the inflated prices of the limited supplies available on the local market, and funding shortages are key challenges facing MA partners. At the same time, expanded military activities are increasing explosive contamination, heightening risks facing partners and civilians.
• Available supplies of hygiene and dignity kits are very limited, unable to meet the high demand for menstrual hygiene management items. 

Response

• During the reporting period, additional Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) that had closed following the collapse of the ceasefire and the subsequent deterioration in the security situation after 18 March have reopened, bringing the total number of functional TLS to 219. While the majority are located in Khan Younis (96) and Deir al Balah (58), 54 are now operational in Gaza city and 11 in North Gaza. These TLSs are currently serving more than 117,000 learners, providing them with vital in-person learning opportunities. This marks a substantial increase from the last reporting period, when only 140 TLS were operational, serving 69,129 children. In addition to core competencies, such as literacy and numeracy, partners continue to deliver MHPSS, structured recreational activities, and social and emotional learning (SEL) to help children cope with the trauma they have been experiencing since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023. 
• In collaboration with the Child Protection AoR, more than 40 Education Cluster members were trained on the safe identification and referral of children in need of support. The training equipped participants with skills related to the post-identification of children who have suffered from abuse or violence, the appropriate referral mechanisms and pathways to assist them, and procedures for identifying and referring unaccompanied and separated children. This capacity-building initiative is particularly important given the central role that learning spaces play in facilitating access to protection services for children. Trained partners are expected to cascade this knowledge to teachers as they implement their education interventions.

Challenges

• Incidents affecting schools continue to be reported, with at least five incidents recorded during the reporting period - three in Gaza city and two Deir al Balah. These incidents have caused further damage to education infrastructure and loss of lives and continued to severely undermine the ability of partners to reopen or scale up education interventions. Based on satellite imagery collected by UNOSAT on 4 April, the Education Cluster published the findings of its ninth and most recent assessment of the probably of damage to school buildings in the Gaza Strip. The assessment reveals that nearly 88.8 per cent of school buildings (501 out of 564) will require full reconstruction or major rehabilitation to become functional again. Since 7 October 2023, 406 school buildings, representing 72 per cent of the total, have sustained direct hits. Additionally, 95 school buildings now classified as “damaged”, previously served approximately 108,681 students and 4,093 teachers, representing 17.6 percent of the student population and 17.7 per cent of teaching staff. Given widespread and catastrophic levels of damage, scaling up and sustaining education in emergencies (EiE) responses remains critical. 
• The full blockade has severely affected the education sector in Gaza, which has already had only limited quantities of essential educational supplies entering the Strip since October 2023. The situation has since worsened, amid stock depletion and repeated displacement orders that disrupt the operation of TLS. 

Response

• During the reporting period, the Gaza Cash Working Group members continued to distribute emergency multi-purpose cash assistance (EMPCA), reaching 20,000 households. The most vulnerable households were prioritized, including recently displaced families identified through partners' needs assessments. 
• During the reporting period, partners continued to monitor accessibility, availability and affordability of essential supplies on the market.

Challenges

• Findings from market monitoring reports by partners show critically low levels of essential supplies in local markets, with certain basic food items largely unavailable, such as dairy products, eggs, and fresh produce. Liquidity shortages are further hindering access to the limited supply of goods that remain available within the Gaza Strip. In addition, lack of transportation, caused by exorbitant fuel prices, and access constraints are limiting access to markets by households who have received EMPCA. 

Response

• Since the escalation of hostilities on 18 March, the SMC has been monitoring population movements across Gaza to inform response planning and coordination. During the reporting period, two Population Movement Monitoring Flash Updates were published, with the most recent update as of 6 May indicating that about 429,000 people have been displaced again since 18 March across the Gaza Strip.
• SMC partners are working with focal points at 730 displacement sites to monitor cases of new arrivals in need of assistance, significant departures, and changes in priority needs and assistance gaps, with a view to expand the approach to other sites across Gaza. During the reporting period, updated reports were received from 338 site focal points, indicating changes in demographics and priority needs in 230 sites in Khan Younis, 54 in Deir al Balah, 41 in Gaza city, 12 in North Gaza and one in Rafa governorate. 
• SMC partners are working to re-establish static and mobile reception points to track displacement if additional waves of large population movements take place. Where feasible, staff at these points would also provide limited food, water and other essential services to support people during their displacement journey. 
• Site improvement works have been completed by three partners at 18 displacement sites. These efforts help to improve the overall site environment, with one partner focusing on ensuring disability- inclusive site improvement works for critical site infrastructure. 

Challenges

• During the reporting period, displacement sites continued to be hit by Israeli strikes, including three UNRWA designated emergency shelters (DESs), which has resulted in fatalities, injuries, displacement and damage. In one of the instances that took place on 6 May, over 30 Palestinians, including children and women, were reportedly killed when one of UNRWA DES, hosting 2,000 displaced people, was hit twice in Al Bureij refugee camp, in northeastern Deir al Balah. 
• Access constraints and widespread insecurity have resulted in incomplete displacement data and reliance on a combination of social media monitoring, remote partner updates, and communications with key informants. 
• There have been reports of skin diseases among IDPs at some displacement sites in Al Mawasi area in western Khan Younis. With limited access to water and sanitation services, there are concerns that these cases may worsen significantly and potentially spread to other displacement sites.
• With the full blockade now in the third month and dwindling stocks, humanitarian assistance continued to be limited, falling short of needs highlighted by focal points at displacement sites. 
   

Response

• Following the escalation of hostilities on 18 March, Shelter Cluster partners have prioritized reaching the most vulnerable households among the newly displaced families and responding to referral requests from other clusters and working groups. This includes prioritizing immediate shelter needs for families affected by airstrikes on IDP shelters and other conflict-related incidents. They have also provided shelter materials to existing displacement sites that are absorbing new waves of displaced people. This approach aims to prevent further fragmentation of services associated with informal site creation and make the most of depleting resources.
•  During the reporting period, Shelter Cluster partners continued to deliver shelter and non-food items from remaining stocks to some of the most vulnerable households across the Gaza Strip. Between 27 April and 10 May, partners reached about 1,320 households with bedding kits, 1,380 received mattresses, 1,580 received kitchen sets, and 4,079 were provided with sealing-off kits or tarpaulins. In addition, 212 Emergency Shelter Kits were distributed to newly displaced or highly vulnerable households. While tents have been out of stock since 12 April, about 100 tents, which were previously pre-positioned for a specific displacement site in Jabalya (now accessible), in North Gaza governorate, were delivered to displaced families.

Challenges

• Insecurity, the full blockade on aid, airstrikes on IDP tents and displacement orders are significantly affecting partners’ capacities and response efforts. Many staff members have themselves been displaced, critical shelter and non-food stocks have been largely depleted, and access to newly displaced people is increasingly constrained. As of 12 April, tents are out of stock and partners have been unable to access about 10,000 tarpaulins that remain in storage in Rafah, where there is an ongoing military ground operation. As of 10 May, stock levels of NFIs are near depletion, with just a few hundred NFI kits now available. Total reliance on humanitarian aid, the lack of a fully functioning market, and prohibitively expensive shelter items that remain available in limited quantities on the market are further constraining response efforts.
• Most of the shelter items distributed in Gaza, such as tents, have a short lifespan of just three to six months, creating a repetitive cycle of demand for shelter assistance. This is further compounded by the multiple waves of forced displacement, which often result in the loss or abandonment of shelter items. Since the escalation of hostilities on 18 March and as of 6 May, about 429,000 people have been displaced according to the SMC, with many people unable to carry their belonging whilst fleeing. As a result, and despite previous aid deliveries, unmet shelter needs persist throughout the Gaza Strip. An estimated 1.1 million people require emergency shelter items, while around 670,000 are in need of household items according to the most recent assessment by the Shelter Cluster conducted in April.

Response

• During the reporting period, the Logistics Cluster finalized a survey to better understand customs challenges faced by humanitarian partners in Gaza and identify priority areas for support.

Challenges

• Since 2 March, Israeli authorities continue to deny the Logistics Cluster's request to have access to the Kerem Shalom/Karm Abu Salem platform to collect cargo that entered Gaza during the ceasefire and has since remained uncollected. 
• The expansion of Israeli-militarized zones since 5 May have rendered two out of three Logistics Cluster warehouses in northern Gaza inaccessible. 
• While warehouses are largely empty of stocks due to the ongoing blockade on aid entry, widespread scarcity of essential goods is largely driving an increase in looting incidents. 
• Due to the full blockade, a significant backlog of humanitarian cargo is accumulating in Logistic Cluster and partner warehouses across the region. In Jordan, the Cluster warehouses are full, preventing the pre-positioning of additional cargo. In Egypt, as of 11 May, 1,223 UN/INGO trucks are waiting to be dispatched, according to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society. The blockade is significantly impacting supply chains across the region, leading to the deterioration of perishable items, increased operational costs, and hindering procurement planning for humanitarian organizations.

Response

• During the reporting period, several coordination meetings were convened by the ETC with humanitarian actors and the private sector to follow up on urgent telecommunications priorities in Gaza, to improve data connectivity. This includes the critical need for sufficient fuel amounts to sustain operations and securing approvals by the Israeli authorities to access and repair the fibre optic cable in eastern Deir al Balah governorate, which has been damaged and cut since 27 March 2025.
• On 5 May, the ETC updated the Security Communication System scorecard and shared recommendations made by the Telecommunications Security Standards (TESS+) team with the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS). On 12 March, the ETC had met with the TESS+ team to review the SCS service scorecards for the West Bank and Gaza.
• For more information on ETC activities, please visit:Palestine: Conflict | Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) (etcluster.org).

Challenges

• Telecommunications and internet services remain limited across Gaza due to the heavy damage to the telecommunications infrastructure caused by intensified hostilities, as well as a lack of spare parts to repair and maintain the services. Fuel supplies are at the brink of depletion, with only limited reserves available to sustain the operations of generators and other critical infrastructure. The full blockade since 2 March continues to hinder the import of critically needed equipment. Combined with insufficient funding, this is severely constraining ETC's ability to deliver services needed to support humanitarian operations and access to life-saving information in Gaza.

Protection against sexual abuse and exploitation (PSEA) remains a cross-cutting priority for all clusters. Aid distribution must be delivered with dignity and respect. Any wrongdoing can be reported through SAWA toll-free number 164. SAWA will assist and provide services free of charge and with the utmost confidentiality.

To promote accountability to affected people, the online Humanitarian Service Directory provides information on aid services, helplines, and key messages, and is available via hyperlink and QR code.

* Asterisks indicate that a figure, sentence, or section has been rectified, added, or retracted after the initial publication of this update.