Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #111

Key points

• Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land, and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Ground operations and fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups also continue to be reported across much of Gaza. 
• Between the afternoons of 4 and 5 February, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 113 Palestinians were killed, and 205 Palestinians were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 16:00 on 5 February 2024, at least 27,478 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 66,835 Palestinians were injured, according to the MoH.  
• On 4 and 5 February, there were no Israeli soldiers reported killed in Gaza. As of 5 February, 223 soldiers were killed and 1,300 soldiers were injured in Gaza since the beginning of the ground operation, according to the Israeli military. 
• As of 5 February, the influx of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into Rafah continues to be reported, including due to intense fighting in Khan Younis, combined with reports of an increase in strikes in Rafah on 4 and 5 February. In addition to insecurity, IDPs face acute shortages of food, water, shelter and medicine. Describing the dramatic conditions facing IDPs, UNICEF reported on 5 February that most of the newly displaced have 1.5-2 litres of water per day to drink, cook and wash, and highlighted a significant increase in cases of chronic diarrhoea among children. It is estimated that Rafah is already hosting over half of Gaza’s population and five times its population prior to 7 October.  
• On 5 February, the Israeli military re-announced evacuation orders that were first issued on 23 and 29 January for residents of specific areas in Khan Younis and Gaza governorates, respectively. Since 7 October 2023, 246 square kilometres, which amount to 67 per cent of the Gaza Strip, have been placed under evacuation orders. This area was home to 1.78 million Palestinians before 7 October and, as of late December 2023, it contained 210 shelters hosting over 770,000 IDPs. It includes all areas north of Wadi Gaza, whose residents were ordered to evacuate in late October, as well as specific areas south of Wadi Gaza slated for evacuation by the Israeli military since 1 December. Overlapping orders are accounted for. 
• On 5 February, a convoy waiting to move to northern Gaza was hit by gunfire but there were no casualties, the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator reported. On 4 February, a group of people waiting for humanitarian aid trucks near Al Kuwaiti roundabout in southern Gaza city were reportedly fired at. This marks the fifth time that shooting allegations on people gathering to obtain humanitarian aid supplies have been reported. In January, 56 per cent of humanitarian aid missions planned for northern Gaza (34 out of 61) and 25 per cent of missions planned for the middle area (28 out of 114) were denied access by the Israeli authorities.  
• Health care in Gaza remains extremely precarious, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). For the past two weeks, heavy fighting continues to be reported near Nasser and Al Amal hospitals in Khan Younis, jeopardizing the safety of medical staff, the wounded and the sick, as well as thousands of IDPs seeking refuge at the hospitals. On 5 February, PRCS reported that ICRC had informed them of the approval by the Israeli authorities of a safe passage to enable IDPs who had sought refuge at Al Amal hospital and the PRCS headquarters in Khan Younis to reach Al Mawasi area, also in Khan Younis. On the same day, PRCS reported that hundreds of displaced families began departing “amid an atmosphere of terror and panic due to the ongoing panic and gunfire.” PRCS also reported that the Israeli military summoned three PRCS senior staff including Al Amal Hospital’s Director for interrogation. As of 5 February, the fate of two PRCS staff members and the six-year-old girl they had been dispatched to rescue a week ago remained unknown, PRCS also reported. 
• Attacks on schools hosting IDPs continue to be reported. On 5 February, several IDPs taking refuge at a school in Khan Younis were reportedly injured by gunfire. Moreover, in two separate incidents between 1 and 3 February, UNRWA reported that two IDPs sheltering in a school in Khan Younis were killed and many others sustained injuries as a result of shooting and shelling. Overall, as of 3 February, UNRWA reported that at least 282 incidents have impacted its facilities sheltering displaced families. As a result, at least 377 IDPs taking refuge in UNRWA shelters (including schools) have been killed and 1,365 injured since 7 October, the Agency reports. Education Cluster partners are also concerned about reports, videos and pictures showing that schools are being used for military operations, including their use as detention and interrogation centres or as military bases. 

Hostilities and casualties (Gaza Strip)

• Among the deadliest incidents reported between the afternoons of 4 and 5 February took place in Deir Al Balah: 
  • On 5 February, at about 11:30, 7 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and several others injured, when a house in Az Zawayda area of Deir Al Balah was struck. 
  • On 4 February, at about 13:45, 14 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and 70 others were injured, including children, when two residential buildings in Deir al Balah were struck. 
  • On 4 February, at about 19:30, 14 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and several others injured, when a residential building in Deir al Balah was struck. 

Displacement (Gaza Strip)

• As of 3 February, UNRWA estimates that some 75 per cent of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people, more than half of whom are children, are displaced. They face acute shortages of food, water, shelter and medicine. Intense fighting around Khan Younis continues to drive thousands of people into the southern town of Rafah. Most are living in makeshift structures, tents, or out in the open, according to UNRWA. 

Electricity

• Since 11 October 2023, the Gaza Strip has been under an electricity blackout, after the Israeli authorities cut off the electricity supply, and fuel reserves for Gaza’s sole power plant were depleted. The communications and industrial fuel shutdown continue to significantly hinder people from seeking lifesaving services, as well as the aid community’s efforts to assess and to adequately respond to the deepening humanitarian crisis. For more information on electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, please see this dashboard.

Hostilities and casualties (Israel)

• Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, including 36 children, according to the Israeli authorities, the vast majority on 7 October and in the immediate aftermath. 
• As of 5 February 2024, the Israeli authorities estimate that about 136 Israelis and foreign nationals remained captive in Gaza; these reportedly include fatalities whose bodies are being withheld. During the humanitarian pause (24-30 November), 86 Israeli and 24 foreign national hostages were released. 

Violence and casualties (West Bank)

• On 5 February, Israeli forces shot and killed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy at the entrance to Al ‘Eizariya town (Jerusalem). Video footage shows that the boy pulled out a knife to stab a Border Police officer who had stopped him before he was shot. 
• Since 7 October 2023 and as of 5 February 2024, 373 Palestinians have been killed, including 95 children, in conflict-related incidents across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the majority (361) by Israeli forces. Additionally, two Palestinians from the West Bank were killed while carrying out an attack in Israel on 30 November. Between 1 January and 5 February 2024, 64 Palestinians, including at least 14 children, have been killed, the majority by Israeli forces.  
• Since 7 October 2023 and as of 5 February 2024, ten Israelis have been killed in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel. These include five Israelis, including four members of Israeli forces, killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; four Israelis killed by Palestinians from the West Bank in Israel, and one Israeli killed by Israeli forces who misidentified him during a Palestinian-perpetrated attack in West Jerusalem. 
• Since 7 October 2023 and as of 5 February 2024, 4,415 Palestinians, including 670 children, have been injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of them, 4,277 have been injured by Israeli forces, 117 people by settlers and 21 people by either Israeli forces or settlers. Of the total injuries, 54 per cent were reported in the context of search-and-arrest and other operations, 34 per cent in demonstrations and 8 per cent during attacks perpetrated by settlers against Palestinians.  

Settler Violence

• Since 7 October 2023 and as of 5 February 2024, OCHA has recorded 506 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians, resulting in Palestinian casualties (49 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (399 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (58 incidents).

Displacement (West Bank)

• Since 7 October 2023 and as of 5 February 2024, 503 Palestinians, including 248 children, have been displaced following the demolition of their homes in Area C and East Jerusalem, due to lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible to obtain. Overall in 2023, 892 structures were demolished, sealed off and/or confiscated, due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits in Area C and East Jerusalem, resulting in the displacement of 1,152 Palestinians, including 575 children. One-fourth of the demolished structures and 52 per cent of the people displaced were in East Jerusalem.  
• Since 7 October 2023 and as of 5 February 2024, Israeli forces punitively demolished 22 Palestinian-owned homes, displacing 105 Palestinians, including 45 children. The numbers exceed those reported in the first nine months of 2023, during which 16 homes were punitively demolished and 78 people displaced in that context. 
• Since 7 October 2023 and as of 5 February 2024, 780 Palestinians, including 325 children, have been displaced, following the destruction of 123 homes during operations carried out by Israeli forces across the West Bank. About 95 per cent of the displacement was reported in the refugee camps of Jenin, Nur Shams and Tulkarm. This represents 86 per cent of all displacement reported due to the destruction of homes during Israeli military operations since January 2023 (908 people).  

Funding

• As of 2 February, Member States have disbursed $700.4 million against the updated Flash Appeal launched by the UN and its partners to implement its response plan in support of 2.2 million people in the Gaza Strip and 500,000 people in the West Bank. This constitutes 57 per cent of the $1.2 billion requested.
• Private donations are collected through the Humanitarian Fund. A private foundation in Australia has donated $2.2 million. Since 7 October, the Humanitarian Fund has disbursed about $55 million.

HUMANITARIAN NEEDS AND RESPONSES: 29 January – 5 February  

Health

Needs:

• Primary health services are critically needed in informal shelters across the Gaza Strip.  
• There is a need to increase routine immunization coverage as well as the provision of medication for non-communicable diseases, psychotropics, and anaesthesia to address the health needs of the population and prevent the spread of infectious disease.  
• Expanding sexual and reproductive health services at the community level is necessary to alleviate overcrowding in maternity hospitals and ensure that women have access to the care they need. 
• The establishment of additional field hospitals in different areas of the Gaza Strip is crucial to accommodate the medical needs of the local population. 
• People are unable to effectively access healthcare due to the unavailability of laboratory equipment and reagents needed for accurate diagnosis and testing. 
• Patients are in need of timely and necessary transfusions, which are hindered due to the unavailability of blood products in hospitals. 

Response:

• Since the onset of hostilities, 45 partners have carried out various types of health interventions across Gaza, reaching an estimated 1 million people. There have also been +240,000 primary healthcare consultations.  
• The Al-Emirati Maternity Hospital in Rafah received from UNFPA 900 ampoules of oxytocin, five Inter-Agency Emergency Reproductive Health (IARH) kits, and 500 Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) kits. This significant donation will greatly enhance the hospital's capacity to provide quality maternal care and support to expectant and new mothers. 
• Some 12 Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) are currently operational. Between 29 January and 5 February, EMTs have treated some 12,000 patients requiring emergency surgeries and treatment for non-communicable diseases and severe acute malnutrition. 

Challenges and Gaps:

• The influx of IDPs to Rafah has overwhelmed the available bed capacities in hospitals, leading to insufficient capacity to meet the healthcare needs of the population. 
• Response operations by health partners are negatively affected by the displacement of the medical staff, social stresses and telecommunication challenges. 
• The high insecurity and limited access to health facilities in the northern and middle governorates continues to present major challenges to partners’ response activities. Furthermore, ongoing fighting and persistent siege of hospitals have severely affected their functionality and accessibility.  
• Limited and proper access to WASH facilities is hindering disease prevention services.  

Nutrition  

Needs: 

• Provision of nutrition interventions, including lifesaving supplies in Gaza, is critically needed across the Strip.  
• Malnutrition among children, particularly children under-five, and pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) remains a significant concern, amid lack of functioning health and WASH systems and deterioration of the food security situation. 

Response: 

• The nutrition sub-cluster carried out a training on Global mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) screening for acute malnutrition in children aged 6-59 months. The training covers data management, identification of malnutrition, simplified management of severe and moderate malnutrition, and reporting. Initial findings from MUAC screenings carried out by five partners indicate a sharp increase in acute malnutrition; among 3,604 children screened at three IDP sites and three health facilities, 58 children were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and 297 with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM).  

Challenges and Gaps: 

• Ongoing hostilities in Gaza have led to severe food shortages, inadequate WASH facilities, and a breakdown in health services, placing children under-five and PBW at an increasing risk of malnutrition.  
• Given available stock  and funding, nutrition partners can meet only 25 per cent of the nutritional needs of malnourished children and vulnerable mothers in the next two months. Without immediate funding and an expanded response, 375,000 individuals are at risk of severe undernourishment. Urgent action is crucial to prevent this life-threatening situation. 

Food Security 

Needs: 

• The food security situation in the Middle Area and southern governorate presents an exceptionally challenging scenario. In Khan Younis, most of the population are grappling with extreme hunger. 
• The influx of IDPs into Rafah governorate has placed an immense strain on available resources. The overcrowded circumstances have rendered the provision of adequate food assistance to the population particularly challenging, mirroring the exceptionally high population density in the area. 
• Vulnerable segments of the population, including children, the elderly, and individuals with underlying health conditions, are particularly susceptible to the risk of malnutrition.  
• There is an immediate need to establish uninterrupted and secure humanitarian corridors that facilitate the delivery of essential aid throughout Gaza, potentially involving the engagement of more private-sector trucks. 

Response: 

• Between 29 January and 4 February, a total of 20 partners engaged in providing food assistance within the Gaza Strip. Around 1.8M people were reached. The geographic breakdown is as follows:  
  • Rafah Governorate received approximately 33 per cent of the total food assistance. 
  • Deir al Balah received approximately 27 per cent of the total food assistance. 
  • Khan Younis received around 17 per cent of the food assistance. 
  • 13 and 10 per cent reached Northern Gaza and Gaza governorates, respectively.  

Challenges and Gaps: 

• In the northern Gaza and Gaza governorates, the humanitarian situation has reached an exceedingly critical state, exacerbated by existing restrictions that impede the delivery of essential aid. These constraints have effectively paralysed efforts to address the substantial needs of the population, underscoring the urgent necessity for improved access and support. 
• Frequent border closures, imposed restrictions, and security concerns pose obstacles to ensuring a consistent and dependable food supply as well as a safe and efficient operation. 
• The deterioration of the situation and escalation of hostilities have substantially damaged critical infrastructure, including roads, electricity, and water supply systems, impeding the efficient distribution of food aid. 
• The lack of fuel and cooking gas poses a significant challenge. These resources are indispensable for sustaining humanitarian efforts and ensuring the operation of essential services such as mills and bakeries. Moreover, they provide individuals with the means to prepare the limited food available to them. 

Shelter and Non-Food Items (NFI) 

Needs: 

• It is estimated that over 650,000 people will have no home to return to, and that many more will be unable to return immediately, due to the level of damage to surrounding infrastructure, as well as the risk posed by explosive remnants of war. 
• There is a high shortage of all essential NFIs for IDPs inside and outside shelters. The Cluster estimates that about 100,000 families need shelter support, including winterized tents or sealing off kits. Just under 1 million people are estimated to need NFIs. 
• Partners estimate that the amount of debris generated by the destruction of residential housing units will exceed 12,000,000 metric tons and will take over four years to remove, given Gaza's current capabilities. 
• Displaced people residing in both formal and informal emergency shelters still lack basic NFIs, and hundreds of thousands lack proper and adequate shelter. 
• Tents, timber sections, and tarpaulin sheets are highly needed to allow the displaced communities to protect themselves and their children from harsh weather conditions and to minimize overcrowded and unhygienic conditions in the current makeshift shelters. 
• The lack of proper informal settlement planning has led to makeshift shelters and tents flooding on rainy days, further exacerbating the suffering of displaced people. 

Response: 

• During the reporting period, cluster partners distributed about 3,000 bedding items and 5,000 dignity kits in Khan Younis and the Middle Area, as well as 1,500 bedding items in the North, to people who are neither living in UNRWA shelters nor with host families. Since 7 October, Shelter Cluster partners have distributed about 40,000 tents, primarily in Rafah, Khan Younis and the Middle area. An additional 28,000 tents are in the pipeline of cluster partners. 

Challenges and Gaps: 

• Since many IDPs have been displaced more than once, they are unable to carry their belongings, including NFIs and other shelter materials each time. Therefore, assistance often needs to be redistributed to the same families. Another challenge facing displaced people is the lack of tools to set up their tents and protect them from rain and floods (hand tools are currently not permitted to enter Gaza). 
• Due to security concerns and limited access, partners had to restrict the delivery of the assistance mainly to Rafah, Khan Younis and the Middle areas. 
• Cluster partners indicate that pricing for SNFIs has risen in regional markets, including high freight rates and shipping costs. Furthermore, partners face persistent challenges in the supply chain, including keeping up with regulations and registration in regional countries.  
• Urgent funding is needed to address the key gaps in the supply of shelter and NFIs. As of 2 February, only 26 per cent of the Shelter Cluster funding requirement (209.2M) has been funded. 

WASH 

Needs: 

• Access to safe drinking water for all people, especially among the displaced population and the northern areas of Gaza. 
• The accumulation of solid waste on the streets, around hospitals, IDP shelters, and various sites remains a priority concern, as tens of thousands of tons of uncollected public waste are intensifying public health risks. The Municipality of Gaza city estimates that approximately 50,000 tons of solid waste remain unmanaged, exacerbating environmental and health concerns.   
• Power supply (fuel) to water and wastewater facilities, primarily decentralized systems (e.g., generators and other electro-mechanical items) is critical. 
• Some 2.25 million people need WASH Assistance. Two-thirds of the IDPs are now concentrated in Rafah area and are in need of urgent WASH response.  

Response:  

• Over 2 million people have been reached through partial WASH assistance.  
• Mekorot Connection: Bani-Saeed water supply is currently producing 6,000 m3 per day (250 m3 per hour capacity) which is 42 per cent of its full capacity. Assessments and plans are in place for repairing the Bani Suhaila pipeline, with the main challenges being safe access, communication, and coordination of the repair activities.  
• Two out of out of three desalination plans are partially operating: the Middle Area plant produces an average of 1,500 cubic meters per day (distributed via water trucking) and the South Gaza desalination plant produces 1,700 cubic meters per day (around 600 m3 are distributed via water trucking and 1,100 via the water network).  
• The UAE's small desalination plant that is located in Egyptian Rafah, currently operates at full capacity, providing 2,400 cubic meters per day. This has been achieved after constructing a 3-kilometer transmission line extending the intake point to the Saudi Water reservoir and other filling points for tankers and tap-stands.  

Challenges and Gaps: 

• Flooding has been a significant issue; for example, the area around Pumping Station 7B is currently inundated, posing a potential hygienic crisis in the vicinity of the station. This is further compounded by fuel shortage, which impedes the operation of sewage stations, raising environmental and public health alarms, where there is restricted access to essential sanitation supplies and services. Reports of the local population coming into direct contact with sewage-contaminated floodwaters in the streets are deeply troubling. This also requires technical assessments to estimate damage and the size of the affected population.  
• The heightened public health risk is further intensified due to an acute scarcity of vital hygiene materials and substandard sanitation infrastructure. While there has been no surge in numbers, persistent reports of Hepatitis A cases in Gaza, as recorded by UNRWA and the Health Cluster, highlight the ongoing health predicaments amid water shortages and worsening sanitation.  
• The absence of testing laboratories in Gaza for specimen analysis is challenging. Exploring the possibility of referring samples to Egypt is under consideration to gain a more precise insight into the epidemiological conditions in Gaza.  
• The constraints of the clearance and transport of the dual-use items into Gaza remain a limiting factor of the overall WASH response.  

Education  

Needs:  

• More than 625,000 students and nearly 23,000 teachers in the Gaza Strip have been affected by school closures and attacks on education, with no access to education or a safe place.  
• According to the Ministry of Education, as of 30 January, more than 4,660 students and 239 educational staff have been killed and more than 8,109 students and 756 teachers have been injured in the Gaza Strip since 7 October. 
• Some 92 per cent of all school buildings in Gaza are being used as shelters for IDPs and/or have sustained varying levels of damage. Some 390 schools (78.8 per cent of the total school buildings in Gaza) sustained damage, including 140 schools that sustained major damage or were fully destroyed. Combined, these schools previously served some 433,000 children and more than 16,200 teachers. The North, Gaza, and Khan Younis governorates have been especially impacted, accounting for 76 per cent of all damaged schools (source: Education Cluster Damaged School Dashboard.) 
• Education partners are concerned about reports, videos and pictures showing that schools are being used for military operations, including their use as detention and interrogation centres, or as military bases.  
• Key priorities include the provision of Education in Emergencies (EiE) recreational activities and psychological support, including Social Emotional Learning (SEL) activities to children in shelters and designated emergency shelters (DESs); establishing Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) in shelters/DESs to start non-formal learning for children; provision of emergency supplies and learning kits. In addition, a key need is the identification and support of children with disabilities and other needs, with assistive devices for continuity of learning. 

Response:  

• Since October 2023, eleven partners have reached more than 131,000 students and teachers (source: Education Cluster 5W dashboard) with psychosocial support, emergency learning, recreational supplies and activities, and awareness sessions in the Deir al Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah governorates. Most of the cluster responses are delivered by local partners.  
• UNICEF with three of its partners and Teacher Creativity Centre are working on establishing TLS to start non-formal education activities with displaced children in shelters/DESs.  
• The Education and the Shelter clusters are jointly carrying out advocacy activities to highlight the devastating impacts of the current situation in Gaza on children and the inextricable links between shelter and schooling.  

Challenges and Gaps:  

• No activities have been undertaken in the North Gaza and Gaza governorates due to ongoing hostilities and access challenges.  
• As of 28 January, the education response remains significantly underfunded, receiving less than 10 per cent of its requirements. Urgent funding is required to meet immediate response requirements. 

Emergency Telecommunications 

Needs: 

• Recurrent telecommunications shutdown in the Gaza Strip restricts people from accessing life-saving information and impedes other forms of humanitarian response. 

Response: 

• The Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) continues its presence in Gaza since 09 January supporting humanitarian responders with ICT assessments, technical advice and information, repairs, and guidance on the use of ICT equipment. 
• Since 3 November, the ETC continues to engage with the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) for authorization to import all essential telecommunications equipment into Gaza and provide independent access to communications for humanitarian responders.  
• On 30 January, the ETC assessed the network signal coverage of the Very High Frequency (VHF) digital radio security communications system (SCS) which operates using the VHF Rafah repeater installed at Al Shaboura Clinic. Although the signal coverage is good in Rafah city, the SCS remains non-operational due to the incompatibility between the VHF/HF handheld radio antennae and the digital repeater system. The ETC is collaborating with UNDSS to procure compatible radio antennae and a solar power solution for the SCS.  

Challenges and Gaps: 

• Limited access to electricity, fuel, and telecommunications services continues to hamper the humanitarian response in Gaza.  
• Importation of telecommunications equipment into Gaza is lengthy and extremely challenging.  

Logistics  

Response: 

• The Logistics Cluster has launched common transport services for the route: Amman to Rafah via King Hussein Bridge and convoy coordination services for the route Amman to Rafah via Aqaba-Nuweiba. Details on the support and services provided by the Logistics Cluster are available in the Standard Operating Procedures. 
• A consolidation warehouse in Amman is now operational for the pre-positioning of cargo. The facility is bonded and temperature-controlled with 1,300 pallet positions, and a capacity to further increase the storage space. 
• The Logistics Cluster held a warehouse management training for humanitarian organisations` personnel on the ground in Gaza, including UN agencies and international NGOs. 
• Partners continue facilitating access to temporary storage, transport, and cargo notification transshipment services. As of 4 February 2024, the Cluster has stored 5,142 metre cubic of cargo on behalf of 16 organizations in Gaza. In Gaza, 1,470 square metres of temporary storage is available in Rafah, and 800 pallet positions in a non-bombed warehouse in Port Said, Egypt.  
• In the Gaza Strip, the Logistics Cluster has installed and handed over 18 Mobile Storage Units (MSUs), of which 12 are operational (3,840 metre square). In Al Arish, Egypt, so far, the Logistics Cell augmented the ERC storage capacity by 3,840 square metres with the installation of 12 MSUs. 

Challenges and Gaps: 

• Persisting challenges include storage and transportation across the Gaza Strip, including temperature-controlled storage. The Logistics Cluster is procuring additional Mobile Storage Units (MSUs), which will be available to humanitarian partners to augment their storage capacities and in the event of a scaled-up assistance.  
• Partners are collecting the pipeline for incoming cargo through the Egypt and Jordan corridors for the coming three months; this is a key exercise for operational planning, to understand available resources, and allocate them based on prioritization. 

Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA)  

Response: 

• Some 121,000 households are estimated to have received one round of emergency MPCA since the start of the hostilities, while another 35,000 people (including people with disabilities and nursing mothers) have received a top-up and close to 1,800 households have received a second round.  
• Around 85,000 households have cashed out their assistance since 7 October. Even under a normal year where people are expected to have alternative income sources, this package only lasts for a household for up to one month. This also does not consider market collapse and price volatility experienced under the current in-extremis circumstances. Therefore, this assistance falls far below the needs on the ground.  
• From the last round of post-distribution monitoring data conducted between the third week of December and mid-January, food remains the most purchased item with humanitarian cash (98 per cent), followed by medicines (31 per cent), debts repayment (21 per cent), water, hygiene products, and transportation. The percentage of respondents reporting that the assistance helped them accessing needed basic goods and services at that specific time is about 70 per cent. 

Challenges: 

• Challenges of electricity and connectivity is affecting the Financial Service Providers to make cash accessible. People’s ability to retrieve even that one round of MPCA package received remains largely compromised, with nearly 2,600 families having never been able to retrieve the assistance.  
• While informal markets are the only source of accessible goods, the scant number of trucks that were sporadically reported to have been entering the city (607 trucks until 19 January 2024) have now stopped, exacerbating the complexity of obtaining essential goods.  

Protection against sexual abuse and exploitation (PSEA) remains a cross-cutting priority for all clusters. The SAWA helpline, reachable at 121 and through WhatsApp at +972 59-4040121 (East Jerusalem at 1-800-500-121), operates 24/7. This toll-free number is widely disseminated across all areas of intervention to report cases of SEA and to facilitate emergency counselling and referrals for affected communities to access life-saving services. The PSEA Network monitors calls daily and will increase the number of counsellors if necessary.

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