Humanitarian Situation Report | 7 August 2026

Highlights

• In the West Bank, demolitions displaced 22 people and affected over 100 others in one week. Since 2024, the monthly average of structures demolished in Area C and East Jerusalem has been at least twice the average recorded over the preceding 15 years.
• Demolition proceedings affecting four schools in Area C, including the demolition of three school structures in Masafer Yatta, highlight broader risks to education. Overall, 84 schools serving nearly 13,000 students are subject to demolition orders.
• The Israeli military issued orders extending movement restrictions in Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps until 20 August and 30 September, while more than 33,000 displaced Palestine refugees remain unable to return to their homes.
• In Gaza, the humanitarian situation remains critical, amid intense military activity causing civilian casualties and hitting health and education infrastructure; overall structural damage continues to rise, a new assessment shows.
• Since October 2023, partners have conducted 3,199 assessment missions across Gaza to identify and mark explosive hazards, while constantly informing civilians about the risks. Yet, they still lack authorization to move or safely dispose of these hazardous items.
• A new nutrition survey finds maternal malnutrition, persistent stunting, and poor-quality diets among children.

Overview

Humanitarian needs across the Occupied Palestinian Territory remained severe. In Gaza, military activities, displacement, and damage to civilian infrastructure continued to deepen humanitarian needs. In the West Bank, operations by Israeli forces, settler attacks, demolitions and movement restrictions continued to drive displacement, undermine livelihoods and restrict access to essential services.

Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, civilians continued to face heightened protection risks, repeated displacement, damage to civilian infrastructure, and disruptions to essential services, including health care, education and water supply. Humanitarian partners continued to deliver life-saving assistance despite insecurity, movement restrictions and funding constraints, responding to growing needs through food, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter, protection, education and other essential services.

West Bank

The reporting period for this section is 28 July to 3 August unless otherwise specified.

Humanitarian needs across the West Bank continued to be driven by operations by Israeli forces, settler attacks, demolitions and damage to civilian infrastructure, while insecurity and movement restrictions continued to constrain humanitarian operations. These challenges have been compounded by recent legal developments affecting schools in Area C and water supply disruptions affecting multiple communities in the northern West Bank.

A breakdown of the pumping system at the Beit Iba well on 24 July disrupted water supply to 11 communities across Nablus, Qalqiliya and Jenin governorates. Although the outage was initially expected to be resolved within a few days, it became clear over the past week that repairs would require approximately 45 days. WASH Cluster partners have since initiated an emergency response through rapid assessments, in close coordination with the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and local service providers, to identify priority needs and response options, including emergency water trucking.

Across the West Bank, shelter partners reached 478 people through shelter repairs, non-food items and cash assistance. With schools closed for the summer, child protection partners carried out mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and recreational activities despite fuel shortages affecting service delivery across the West Bank. Education partners continued to support 303 summer learning camps, which had to temporarily suspend activities as a precaution following the escalation in the Nablus area and the anticipated intensification of operations by Israeli forces. By 27 July, 298 of the 303 camps had resumed activities after partners assessed that conditions were safe for children and teachers. Partners specializing in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) maintained life-saving services through safe spaces for women and girls (WGSSs) and mobile outreach teams despite movement restrictions and funding constraints that recently forced the closure of two WGSSs.

Operations by Israeli Forces and Settler Attacks

During the reporting period, no Palestinian fatalities were reported in the West Bank. At least 37 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces or Israeli settlers, and 35 settler attacks that resulted in casualties, property damage, or both were documented. On 29 July, the Israeli military issued new orders extending movement restrictions in Jenin refugee camp until 20 August and in Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps until 30 September. The orders designate "closure areas", where entry and exit are prohibited without a permit issued by the Israeli military commander or an authorized official. Since January 2025, more than 33,000 Palestine refugees have been displaced from Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps and surrounding areas, according to UNRWA.

On 30 July, during an operation in Beita village (Nablus governorate), Israeli forces shot and seriously injured a 59-year-old Palestinian man while he was driving. Israeli forces also temporarily overtook Palestinian homes in Tell and Jalud (Nablus governorate), displacing the families while using the properties for military purposes before departing the following day. Elsewhere, search-and-arrest operations and other raids resulted in additional injuries and disruption to daily life in several communities.

Settler attacks continued to affect Palestinian communities across the West Bank, particularly in Ramallah, Nablus and Jerusalem governorates, resulting in injuries and damage to homes, vehicles, agricultural land and other civilian property. Al Mughayyir (Ramallah governorate) experienced repeated settler attacks over three consecutive days. On 31 July alone, settlers carried out three attacks that injured a nine-year-old Palestinian child with live ammunition, injured two adults with pepper spray, and damaged two Palestinian-owned vehicles. Further attacks on 1 and 2 August injured two additional Palestinians and caused damage to a Palestinian-owned vehicle. Elsewhere, settlers physically assaulted two elderly Palestinian farmers in Beitillu (Ramallah governorate), while a 59-year-old Palestinian bus driver was seriously injured after being assaulted by a group of Israelis in East Jerusalem. Settlers also damaged water tanks in Turmus'ayya and East Tayba Bedouin community (Ramallah governorate) and Beit Furik (Nablus governorate), as well as two greenhouses in Beit Furik, further undermining access to water and agricultural livelihoods.

Demolitions and Forced Evictions

During the reporting period, Israeli authorities demolished or forced Palestinian owners to demolish 39 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and East Jerusalem for lacking Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain. The demolished structures included 15 residential structures and 24 livelihood-related, agricultural, and water and sanitation structures. As a result, five households comprising 22 people, including five children, were displaced in Ras al Amud and Sur Bahir (East Jerusalem), Khirbet Jamrura (Hebron governorate), and Ein al Hilwe (Tubas governorate) in the northern Jordan Valley. An additional 19 households comprising more than 100 people were otherwise affected by the demolitions. Of the 33 structures demolished in Area C, 11 were in the Bedouin community of An Nuwei'meh Al Fauqa (Jericho governorate), affecting more than 30 people.

Since the beginning of 2026, approximately 700 Palestinian-owned structures have been demolished in Area C and about 170 in East Jerusalem for lacking Israeli-issued building permits. Since 2024, the monthly average of demolished structures in Area C and East Jerusalem has been at least twice the average recorded during the preceding 15 years. Across demolition incidents documented in 2026, many affected families had pursued legal avenues over several years in an effort to obtain building permits or challenge demolition orders, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In East Jerusalem, a substantial proportion of residential structures were demolished by their owners to avoid paying additional fines and fees. In Area C, some demolitions were carried out despite pending legal proceedings.

During the previous reporting period, on 26 July, Israeli forces forcibly evicted five Palestinian households comprising eight people from a three-storey residential building comprising six residential apartments in the Old City of East Jerusalem. The family had lived in the building since the 1930s. The eviction followed a lawsuit filed in 2018 by the Israeli General Custodian after Israeli courts upheld ownership claims to the property. Following the eviction, the building was taken over by settlers affiliated with the settler organization Ateret Cohanim. After Israeli courts rejected successive petitions submitted by the family, a final eviction order required the households to vacate the property by 5 July 2026.

Since the beginning of 2026, 22 Palestinian households comprising 85 people, including 30 children, have been forcibly evicted from their homes following Israeli court decisions. Most of these evictions have taken place in the Silwan area of East Jerusalem. Approximately 200 Palestinian households across East Jerusalem are at risk of forced displacement due to ongoing eviction cases before Israeli courts, the majority of which have been initiated by Israeli settler organizations.

Demolition orders raise concerns over access to education in Area C

The restrictive planning regime in Area C and East Jerusalem, where it is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain Israeli-issued building permits, continues to place homes, schools and other essential infrastructure at risk of demolition. This undermines access to education and other basic services and exacerbates displacement pressures on Palestinian communities.

According to the Education Cluster, 84 schools in Area C and East Jerusalem serving nearly 13,000 students are subject to demolition orders. Of these, 54 face the threat of full demolition, while 30 are subject to demolition orders targeting parts of the facilities. Recent legal developments involving four of these schools – three in Hebron and one in Bethlehem – have heightened concerns over access to education for more than 700 students and nearly 60 teachers.

In Hebron governorate, Ar Rifa'iyya Mixed Basic School, which serves 175 students, faced imminent demolition in early July following the rejection of the community's appeal. However, on 21 July, the community secured a temporary injunction suspending the execution of the demolition order pending court proceedings. In Masafer Yatta area of Hebron, an interim injunction is also being pursued following the dismissal of an appeal against the demolition of Zeef Girls Secondary School, which serves 253 students. In Sha'ab Al Butum, although no interim injunction against the demolition of the school had been granted, pending legal proceedings, including a court hearing scheduled for 15 September, were generally expected to delay enforcement of the demolition order. However, on 4 August, Israeli authorities demolished three of the school’s structures – two administrative rooms and one storage room. The original school building remains intact but continues to be subject to a demolition order. The school served 47 students during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Separately, on 3 August, the Jerusalem District Court issued an interim injunction suspending demolition measures in the neighbouring communities of Isfey and Khirbet al Majaz in Masafer Yatta, pending legal proceedings concerning their master plans. According to the Protection Cluster, the order provides temporary protection for approximately 160 structures, including two schools, homes, a mosque, health clinics, water infrastructure and livestock shelters, benefiting approximately 400 Palestinian residents.

The two schools in Masafer Yatta are in an area designated by Israeli authorities as "Firing Zone 918", encompassing 13 Palestinian communities, home to approximately 1,200 Palestinians, including more than 500 children. Since 2009, OCHA has documented more than 100 demolition incidents in these communities, involving over 300 structures, more than 60 per cent of which had been provided as humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian partners have expressed concern that recent legal developments, including the Israeli High Court ruling concerning residential structures in Umm Fagarah, could increase the risk of demolitions affecting homes, schools and other essential infrastructure across Masafer Yatta.

In Al Walaja (Bethlehem governorate), on 8 July, the Israeli Civil Administration issued a notice allowing objections to a demolition case dating back to 2006 against Al Walaja Basic Co-educational School, an UNRWA-operated school located in Area C of the village and serving 235 students from grades one to nine. The village, which has a population of about 3,000 residents, extends across Area C and East Jerusalem, with only about seven per cent of its built-up area estimated to be located in Area B, where the Israeli planning regime does not apply. With the support of a legal aid organization, an objection has been filed and a court hearing is scheduled for 24 August. If implemented, the demolition order would leave the community without a local primary school, requiring children to travel to neighbouring communities to access education.

Since 2014, OCHA has documented the demolition of 141 Palestinian-owned structures in the village for lacking Israeli-issued building permits. Nearly half of these demolitions (68 structures) have taken place since the beginning of 2023, including a record 37 structures demolished in 2024 alone (see graph). Residents have pursued planning initiatives over many years in an effort to obtain building permits and regularize existing construction, but these efforts have faced repeated obstacles.

The developments in Al Walaja also coincide with broader efforts to intensify the enforcement of planning and building regulations in the village. The Israeli settler organization Regavim recently petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice seeking the enforcement of demolition orders against Palestinian construction in Al Walaja. According to the Al Walaja Village Council, the Israeli Civil Administration has issued about 70 demolition notices in the Area C part of the village since the beginning of 2026, most of them stop-work orders targeting inhabited residential buildings and other structures.

For key figures and additional breakdowns of casualties, displacement, and settler violence between January 2005 and June 2026, please refer to the OCHA West Bank June 2026 Snapshot. For key figures on the impact of settler attacks, please refer to the West Bank – The Impact of Settler Attacks, January 2023 – April 2026.

Gaza Strip

The reporting period for this section is 27 July to 2 August unless otherwise specified.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remained critical, military activities continued across the Strip throughout the reporting period, with daily air strikes, shelling, gunfire and naval fire reported mainly west of the agreed deployment line known as the “Yellow Line" where nearly the entire population of 2.1 million people remains concentrated in less than half of the Strip amid extremely overcrowded conditions. The United Nations Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ramiz Alakbarov, has expressed concern over the recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, which reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to critical medical supplies and civilian infrastructure.

On 2 August, a strike hit the vicinity of Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah, damaging a medical storage facility and destroying essential medical supplies, including items recently delivered by the World Health Organization (WHO). Due to the proximity of the attack, the hospital building also sustained minor damage, WHO reported.

On 3 August (after the reporting period) in North Gaza’s Beit Lahia area, Israeli forces reportedly demolished homes, as well as the last remaining school in what was previously a four-school compound. A week earlier, Israeli forces had already reportedly advanced towards the area, destroying the tents of nearly a dozen families sheltering in the schoolyard and placing new cement blocks nearby, marking a further expansion of areas where Israeli authorities have imposed access restrictions.

One 4 August (after the reporting period) in Gaza city, partners report that a sixth-grade student was taken to the hospital after being hit by a bullet and injured in a tented classroom.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 150 fatalities, including dozens of civilians, were documented in July, marking the highest reported monthly death toll since the beginning of the year. Since the announcement of a ceasefire agreement on 10 October 2025 and as of 5 August 2026, 1,254 Palestinians were killed, 4,121 were injured, and 804 were retrieved from under the rubble, MoH reports. On 1 August, the Palestinian Civil Defense (PCD) announced the completion of a two-week recovery operation during which it recovered 112 Palestinian bodies from the rubble of a residential block struck in November 2023 in As Sabra, southern Gaza city. The recovered bodies include 40 children, 38 women, and 7 persons with disabilities, PCD reported, adding that the bodies of 157 other Palestinians reportedly killed in the same incident remain unrecovered, with no trace of them found. On 4 August, the recovered bodies were buried in a collective funeral.

Nutrition and Child Feeding

Between 2 and 16 June, Nutrition Cluster partners carried out a survey in Gaza to better understand malnutrition levels across the Strip. The survey was undertaken following the Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) methodology, an internationally recognized standard for conducting population-based nutrition surveys in humanitarian settings. The survey looked at accessible areas of all five governorates, covering approximately 83 per cent of the population. A total of 1,335 children aged 0-59 months and 3,071 women of reproductive age, including 598 pregnant and breastfeeding women, participated in the survey.

Following are some of the findings:

• 1.3 per cent of the children are acutely malnourished as detected through the three diagnostic criteria of mid-upper arm circumference screening, weight-for-height Z-score, or bilateral pitting oedema.
• 12.2 per cent of children suffer from stunting.
• 9.4 per cent of non-pregnant or non-lactating women and 7.2 per cent of pregnant and lactating women had maternal malnutrition.
• 37.1 per cent of children had diarrhea and 31.9 per cent had fevers in the two weeks preceding the survey.
• 20.4 per cent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed, well below the 100 per cent recommended levels.
• Only 30.3 per cent of children aged 6-23 months achieve minimum dietary diversity, and 22.4 per cent receive a minimum acceptable diet.
• 75.9 per cent of children received measles vaccination and 69.8 per cent received vitamin A supplementation, both below optimal levels of over 90 per cent and 95 per cent respectively.

According to the Nutrition Cluster, although the low prevalence of acute malnutrition is encouraging, it should not be interpreted as an indication that the nutrition crisis has ended. Rather, the findings suggest that humanitarian assistance has likely prevented a more severe nutrition outcome, while persistent stunting, poor diet quality, maternal malnutrition, and high levels of childhood illness demonstrate that nutritional vulnerability remains widespread. They also underscore the continued need for sustained food assistance, community-based management of acute malnutrition services, maternal nutrition support, improved complementary feeding, WASH interventions, and routine nutrition surveillance.

Mine Action

After years of intense hostilities during which explosive weapons have been used throughout the Gaza Strip, explosive ordnance contamination is widespread and significant. Presently, mine action partners do not have permission to move or dispose of these hazards or to conduct the full spectrum of explosive ordnance disposal activities. Specialized equipment required for such operations remains subject to authorization and cannot be imported at this stage. Still, mine action continues to play a critical role in reducing risks to affected populations, enabling humanitarian access, and supporting life-saving operations.

The following provides an overview of three ongoing mine action activities.

1. Explosive hazard assessments (EHAs)

EHAs contribute to reducing risks for communities and support humanitarian actors in operating more safely by identifying and marking EO threats. Since October 2023, mine action partners have identified and marked 1,052 explosive ordnance items through EHAs. Thanks to the identification of EO through EHAs, shelters could be established, damaged WASH facilities restored, debris removed, access to critical infrastructure enabled.

These activities have also played a vital role in supporting early recovery and livelihoods. Sheikh Ajleen in southern Gaza city has historically been one of the Gaza Strip's most fertile agricultural areas, producing high-quality grapes, figs, citrus fruits, and a wide range of vegetables, including cauliflower, courgettes, aubergines, green beans, cabbage, herbs, and mint. For generations, families in the area have relied on this land for their livelihoods and food security.

To facilitate the safe return of internally displaced farmers following the declaration of a ceasefire in October 2025, UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) EO disposal teams conducted assessments across nine large agricultural zones in Sheikh Ajleen. They identified and marked numerous EO items, established safety cordons around hazardous locations, and confirmed that surrounding areas could be used safely. Subsequently, farmers could safely resume agricultural activities, restoring livelihoods and contributing to local food production.

Since October 2023, mine action partners have conducted 3,199 EHAs, assessing nine square kilometres of land cumulatively. Of the assessed area, 48.2 per cent has been classified as “low risk”, enabling humanitarian partners to continue and expand essential humanitarian and early recovery activities, and communities to safely access these areas.

2. Explosive ordnance risk education (EORE)

EORE raises people’s awareness of the risks and promotes their safe behaviour. Through sessions with communities that are potentially affected by explosive ordnance, humanitarians inform of ways to recognize hazards and respond appropriately if they come across suspicious items. In July 2026, over 63,000 people participated in such sessions.

During one of the sessions, a participant shared the details of a serious incident where his son, Kinan, was injured by EO. "It looked like a toy, so he picked it up. Now my son needs more surgeries than I can count. Every family here needs to know what these objects look like before it is their child."

During a EORE session for women, Walaa, a 30-year-old mother of five, also shared her painful experience. She explained that her family was forced to flee from Beit Hanoun in North Gaza to Gaza city in search of safety. While sheltering near the Islamic University, a quadcopter drone dropped an explosive object that did not detonate immediately. Believing the area was safe, the family remained there until the object suddenly exploded.

The explosion killed her husband, her children, and six other relatives. She was the only survivor. Walaa spent nearly five months receiving treatment at Al-Quds Hospital under severe shortages of medical resources and suffered serious injuries and permanent physical disfigurements.

Walaa said: “After what happened, I was afraid of everything on the ground. Any piece of metal, any strange object I did not know what could kill me and what could not. That not knowing was the hardest part. Now I know what to look at, what to stay away from, and who to call. The fear is still there, but it is quieter.”

On 7 July, a 13-year-old child who had previously attended an EORE session delivered by a Child Protection partner identified an unfamiliar object that appeared to be abandoned ammunition while walking on the seashore near his displacement site in southern Al Mawasi, Khan Younis. The child moved to a safe distance and informed his father, who reported the object, allowing teams to address the hazard and prevent injury – a concrete example of how EORE can save lives.

3. Victim Assistance

Since October 2023, 274 people have been killed and 1,134 injured in 580 EO-related accidents recorded across the Gaza Strip, according to UNMAS data. All identified survivors have been referred for medical care, rehabilitation, psychosocial support and other specialized assistance, helping to address both their immediate and long-term needs.

In June 2025, Mohammad from Jabalya Camp was seriously injured by an explosive device that detonated while he was trying to move his family's belongings to a safer place. He lost his left eye and suffered multiple shrapnel injuries, leaving him unable to work and struggling to support himself. Through the Danish Refugee Council Victim Assistance programme, he was referred for medical care and received cash assistance, which helped him meet urgent needs and establish a small street vendor business. The support enabled Mohammad to regain a source of income and begin rebuilding his independence despite his injuries.

“My injury changed my life, but it did not take away my determination to live with dignity and rely on myself again.”

Damage to Structures

Damage to structures across Gaza continues to increase, according to the latest satellite-based assessment by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT). As of 16 June 2026, 201,290 structures – or an estimated 82 per cent of all structures in the Gaza Strip -- had sustained damage. Of these, 134,422 are assessed as destroyed, 13,848 as severely damaged, 28,096 as moderately damaged, and 24,924 as possibly damaged. Compared with UNOSAT’s previous assessment of 11 October 2025, the total number of affected structures increased by 1.5 per cent, while the number of destroyed structures rose by 9 per cent, indicating continued deterioration of the built environment.

The assessment further estimates that 328,627 housing units have been damaged, representing a 2.5 per cent increase since October 2025. The largest increases in newly affected structures were recorded in Gaza and North Gaza governorates, with approximately 381 and 258 additional damaged structures, respectively.

For the complete assessment and interactive damage map, see the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) Gaza Strip Comprehensive Damage Assessment of 16 June 2026.

Incoming Supplies

According to UN 2720 mechanism data, UN agencies and NGO partners offloaded over 55,800 pallets of aid at the Kerem Shalom Crossing for collection within Gaza in July. This marked a substantial increase from the approximately 41,800 pallets recorded in June and the 47,800 pallets recorded on average each month between March and May, appearing more in line with the volumes recorded before the onset of the regional escalation, in February (54,600) and January (58,600). Kerem Shalom remains the only operational crossing for cargo entering Gaza.

According to data collected by the Logistics Cluster, the UN and partners’ aid offloading rate, representing the proportion of trucks that were successfully offloaded at Kerem Shalom against those authorized to be manifested each day, declined from 90 per cent over the previous three weeks to 77 per cent during the reporting period. This decrease was primarily driven by a 30 per cent offloading rate through Egypt. Of the trucks that did not offload, 94 per cent were returned by the Israeli authorities with no reason provided, while the remainder were rejected due to pallet conditions or were unable to offload because of operational constraints.

Ashdod remained the primary route for UN and partners’ humanitarian cargo entering Gaza, with 260 aid trucks successfully offloaded, followed by Jordan with 100 trucks offloaded. Kerem Shalom remained the only operational crossing point for cargo.

On the commercial front, data from the Gaza Chamber of Commerce, shared with the Cash Working Group, indicates that the private sector collected 824 truckloads into Gaza between 27 July and 2 August. Overall, the number of commercial truckloads reported as entering Gaza has remained stable in recent weeks, with only minor variations. This remains insufficient to sustain the demand. Moreover, of all private sector trucks, 234 (28 per cent) still carried non-essential items, at the expense of more critical supplies as shelter and WASH materials.

The UN is only able to confirm the entry of supplies tracked by UN 2720. For breakdowns of those, see the online UN 2720 Mechanism Dashboard.

For a detailed account of the latest humanitarian operations in Gaza, see Annex 1 below.

Funding

Sources: Financial Tracking System and oPt HFas of 6 August 2026.

Annexes

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