Humanitarian Situation Update #284 | Gaza Strip

Starting today, the Humanitarian Situation Updates on the Gaza Strip and on the West Bank are both issued every Wednesday. The Gaza Humanitarian Response Update is issued every other Tuesday. The next Humanitarian Situation Updates will be published on 7 May.

Key Highlights

• Gaza’s health-care system is on the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by mass casualties and critically hindered by the full blockade that has cut off essential medicines, vaccines, and medical equipment, severely impeding lifesaving services.
• Gaza faces a renewed risk of hunger and malnutrition as the full blockade, now entering the third month, threatens the closure of community kitchens, one of the last remaining lifelines in the Strip.
• Child Protection actors warn that children, who make up half of Gaza's population, are facing escalating levels of trauma, violence and neglect, as ongoing military operations, mass displacement, and funding shortages disrupt education and critical child protection services.
• The escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza has exposed women, girls and other vulnerable groups to heightened risks of gender-based violence.

Humanitarian Developments

• Humanitarian operations have been stifled by a combination of expanded military activity, the Israeli government’s blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies for 60 days (since 2 March), killing of aid workers and attacks on their premises, and severe movement restrictions within Gaza. Since 18 March 2025, Israeli forces have escalated bombardment from the air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip and expanded ground operations. This has resulted in hundreds of casualties, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and large-scale displacement. Fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups has been reported, particularly in North Gaza, eastern Gaza city, and Rafah governorate. Strikes on residential buildings and tents of internally displaced people (IDPs) continue to be reported, alongside detonation of buildings, especially in Rafah and eastern Gaza city. As of 29 April, over 423,000 people are estimated to have been displaced again, according to the Site Management Cluster (SMC), with no safe place to go.
• In his remarks to the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, on 29 April, the UN Secretary-General, described the situation in the Gaza Strip as that of “unrelenting conflict and devastation …including the utterly inhumane conditions of life imposed on its people who are repeatedly coming under attack, confined to smaller and smaller spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief.” The UN Chief emphasized that in accordance with international law, “the Security Council has rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce its territory,” adding that “Gaza is -- and must remain -- an integral part of a future Palestinian state.”
• According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, between 22 and 30 April, as of noon, 437 Palestinians were killed and 1,023 were injured. Between 7 October 2023 and 30 April 2025, the MoH in Gaza reported that at least 52,400 Palestinians were killed and 118,014 Palestinians injured. This includes 2,308 people killed and 5,973 injured since the escalation of hostilities on 18 March 2025, according to MoH.
• Attacks on tents sheltering IDPs across the Gaza Strip continue to be reported. Between 18 March and 27 April, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) recorded 259 attacks on residential buildings and 99 on IDP tents. Most of the attacks resulted in fatalities, including of women and children. Among the strikes on IDP tents, 40 reportedly took place in Al Mawasi area, in Khan Younis, where the Israeli army repeatedly directed civilians to seek refuge, OHCHR added. For instance, on 27 April, eight Palestinians, including five females, were reportedly killed and others injured when an IDP tent was hit in northwestern Khan Younis. In addition, on 28 April, four Palestinians, including three children, were reportedly killed and around 40 others injured when IDP tents were hit in southern Al Mawasi area in Khan Younis. In this regard, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said: “These incidents reflect the pattern we have seen during this escalation, of attacks that raise grave concerns of violations of the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions. Each of these incidents must be fully investigated. Intentionally directing attacks against civilians not taking a direct part in hostilities would constitute a war crime.”
• Fishers in Gaza continue to face significant risks at sea, exacerbated by restricted access, limited equipment, and ongoing insecurity. In addition to relying on fishing as a primary source of livelihood, the growing scarcity of food supplies in Gaza is also driving many to take the risk and go out to sea. In April, several incidents were reported in which fishing boats were hit or came under Israeli fire near the shore, resulting in casualties among fishers. For example, between 23 and 30 April, three fishers were reportedly killed and at least 10 others were injured, when two boats were hit. In addition, shooting towards the shore was reported on multiple occasions in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah, Gaza city and North Gaza.
• Between 22 and 28 April, other incidents resulting in fatalities were reported across the Gaza Strip, including the following:
  • On 22 April, at about 04:35, nine Palestinians, including six females, were reportedly killed and others injured when a residential building was hit at As Sika roundabout in the middle of Khan Younis.
  • On 23 April, at about 01:30, at least 10 Palestinians were reportedly killed and several others, including women and children, were injured when IDP tents within the premises of Yafa school-turned-shelter were hit in At Tuffah neighbourhood, in eastern Gaza city. A fire broke out across the school with most of the fatalities were reportedly severely burned.
  • On 23 April, at about 02:30, 10 Palestinians were reportedly killed when a residential building was hit in At Tuffah neighbourhood, in eastern Gaza city.
  • On 24 April, at about 09:47, at least 10 Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a market and a police station in Jabalya refugee camp, in North Gaza, were hit. Reportedly, some IDPs were sheltering at the police station and some of the casualties were passing by the station when it was hit.
  • On 24 April, at about 17:03, 23 Palestinians were reportedly killed and others, including women and children, were injured when a residential building reportedly housing IDPs was hit in Jabalya refugee camp, in North Gaza.
  • On 24 April, at about 16:00, 15 Palestinians, including children and women, were reportedly killed when a residential apartment was hit in Al Yarmouk area in Gaza city.
  • On 25 April, at about 15:00, 10 Palestinians, including five brothers, were reportedly killed and others injured when a residential building was hit in southeastern Khan Younis.
  • On 25 April, at about 15:10, nine Palestinians, including a married couple and their five children, were reportedly killed and others injured when a residential building was hit in Al Fukhkhari area, in southeastern Khan Younis.
  • On 26 April, at about 01:00, at least 22 Palestinians, including at least 13 children and six women, were reportedly killed and others injured when a residential building was hit in As Sabra neighbourhood, in central Gaza city.
  • On 27 April, at about 20:10, 13 Palestinians, including a woman and her six children, were reportedly killed and others injured when a residential building was hit in southern Khan Younis.
  • On 28 April, at about 00:30, 10 Palestinians, including at least three children, were reportedly killed and others, including a seven-year-old girl, were injured when a residential building was hit in Al Fakhoura area, west of Jabalya refugee camp, in North Gaza.
  • On 28 April, at about 00:30, 10 Palestinians were reportedly killed and others injured when a residential building was hit in Al Karmah area in northwestern Gaza city.
• On 24 and 25 April, two Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza, according to the Israeli military. Between 7 October 2023 and 30 April 2025, according to Israeli forces and official Israeli sources cited in the media, more than 1,610 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, the majority on 7 October 2023 and its immediate aftermath. This includes 410 soldiers killed, in addition to 2,636 soldiers injured, in Gaza or along the border in Israel since the beginning of the ground operation in October 2023. As of 30 April, it is estimated that 59 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld.
• On 24, 28 and 29 April, Israeli forces reportedly released 33 Palestinian detainees including 21 males and two females through Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings. Subsequently, detainees were reportedly transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Younis and Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah for medical examination. According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), the paramedic who was detained on 23 March 2025, while on duty in Tal Al-Sultan area in Rafah when eight PRCS staff were killed, was released by Israeli authorities on 29 April 2025.
• According to UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, since October 2023, over 50 UNRWA staff including teachers, doctors and social workers, have been detained. He added: “They have been treated in the most shocking and inhumane way. They reported being beaten up, used as human shields, subjected to forced confessions, sleep deprivation, humiliation and threats of harm to them and their families.”
• Attacks on health care in Gaza continue to be reported. According to the Health Cluster, on 22 April, the gate of the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in Khan Younis was hit, resulting in the death of one staff member and destruction of four ambulances. On 23 April, attacks on Al Durrah Paediatric Hospital in Gaza city resulted in damage to the intensive care unit (ICU) department and the hospital's solar panels, which are critical given the ongoing electricity and fuel crisis. Noting that the strike on Al Durrah Hospital comes amid an already dire healthcare crisis in Gaza marked by severe shortages of medicines and medical supplies, MoH Director General, Dr. Munir Al Bursh, reported that the hospital is one of the most prominent health care facilities in Gaza city, providing essential medical services to children and specializing in emergency, chronic, and surgical care. With Al Durrah Hospital out of service, there are now 22 hospitals that are partially functional in Gaza, including four in North Gaza, 11 in Gaza, three in Deir al Balah, four in Khan Younis, and none in Rafah.

Shrinking Humanitarian Space

• On 24 and 25 April, two displacement orders were issued by the Israeli military for parts of Gaza and North Gaza governorates covering approximately 12.2 square kilometres in 11 neighbourhoods, where there are 64 humanitarian assets including health, water and sanitation, and education facilities. According to the Education Cluster, affected facilities include five government schools and three Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS), interrupting access to learning of more than 2,600 children supported by 57 teachers. Overall, between 18 March and 25 April, the Israeli military issued at least 22 displacement orders, placing about 144.3 square kilometres, or 39.5 per cent of the Gaza Strip, under displacement orders. In addition to areas placed under displacement orders, the Israeli authorities have requested the UN to coordinate movements to the “no-go” zone along Gaza’s perimeter and along Wadi Gaza where Israeli forces have re-deployed since 20 March, which makes up about 50 per cent of the Gaza Strip. In total, since 18 March, about 70 per cent of the Gaza Strip has been placed under displacement orders, within the “no-go” zone or both. By governorate, 100 per cent of Rafah is a no-go zone or a displacement area, followed by 84 per cent of North Gaza, 78 per cent of Gaza, 51 per cent of Khan Younis and 41 per cent of Deir al Balah. According to the SMC, over 423,000 people are estimated to have been displaced between 18 March and 29 April.
• Between 23 and 29, out of 44 planned aid movements across the Gaza Strip that were coordinated with the Israeli authorities, 22 were denied, four faced impediments, 17 were facilitated, and one was cancelled for logistical, operational, or security reasons. These include 14 planned aid movements in or to northern Gaza that were coordinated with the Israeli authorities, of which 10 were facilitated, two were denied, one faced impediments and one was cancelled. In southern Gaza, out of the 30 planned aid movements, seven were facilitated, 20 were denied and three faced impediments.
• The ongoing fuel crisis in Gaza, driven by the full blockade and severe movement restrictions—with fuel being inaccessible or located in hard-to-reach areas—, is critically disrupting essential services across all sectors. Humanitarian partners are forced to tightly ration fuel, resulting in reduced water production, limited solid waste collection, and sewage pumped only in the most hazardous situations. Educational activities have also been severely affected, as fuel shortages hinder remote learning activities, disrupt the operation of TLS, and hamper the transportation of teachers and learning materials. The shortage of benzene has equally affected the functionality of ambulances and vehicles used by aid workers, where many have been rendered non-operational. A recent Fleet Capacity Survey conducted by the Logistics Cluster revealed that one-third of the vehicles and generators operated by humanitarian partners in Gaza are currently non-operational due to fuel shortages—particularly benzene—further straining the response capacity in an already dire humanitarian environment. Furthermore, the Palestinian Civil Defence (PCD) reported, on 28 April, that eight out of its 12 emergency vehicles—including fire, rescue, and ambulance services—in the southern governorates are now out of service due to fuel depletion. This leaves only four vehicles operational, significantly limiting emergency response capacity and putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people at serious risk, PCD added.
• The delivery of humanitarian services has been severely disrupted due to ongoing military operations, the full blockade, the issuance of displacement orders and widespread displacement, disproportionately affecting children who comprise about half of Gaza’s population. According to the Child Protection (CP) Area of Responsibility (AoR), 20 child friendly spaces in the “no-go” zones and areas slated for displacement have been forced to suspend activities between 18 March and 30 April. Combined with the displacement of many staff of aid organizations providing services, this has disrupted the provision of basic psychosocial support, explosive ordnance risk education, and case management for children at heightened risk of harm. Moreover, since 18 March, about 55 per cent of TLS (259 out of 570), which served more than 140,000 children, have been paused due to insecurity, alongside 90 governmental schools that had re-opened during the ceasefire and served more than 90,000 children. This is in addition to the closure of 171 TLS, or 30 per cent of those established during the first quarter of 2025, due to funding constraints. According to the Education Cluster, shrinking education services deprive children not only of learning but also of access to mental health and psychosocial support as well as emotional learning and recreational activities. This effectively removes safe spaces created to support children exposed to trauma, stress and anxiety, creating additional distress, while also cutting them off from the peer and adult network essential for their well-being and resilience. Monitoring by UNRWA protection teams between 4 and 17 April showed that deteriorating mental health among children, increased child labor, and increased exposure to violence and neglect in displacement shelters are among the key protection risks facing children.
• Amid immense challenges, CP partners continue to deliver critical services and assistance for children and caregivers whenever possible across Gaza – except Rafah governorate which remains inaccessible. This includes critical support for unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in emergency shelters or alternative care arrangements; over the past two weeks, 1,500 clothing kits from remaining stocks were distributed to families caring for UASC displaced from Rafah and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) continued to facilitate family reunification for newly identified cases of UASC. Moreover, between 16 and 29 April, the digital cash transfer programme of UNICEF reached about 2,500 families, comprising 20,500 people including 7,500 children. UNRWA has also mobilized additional funding for its cash-for-protection programme, which aims to address individual, or household-level protection needs. Support will be provided based on child protection assessments and ongoing monitoring to ensure positive child protection outcomes and to reduce potential risks, such as stigmatization or other forms of harm.
• On 23 April, the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) and the Occupied Palestinian Territory Education Cluster issued a brief that inter alia provides an overview of the extent of the estimated learning losses in Gaza and proposes approaches and recommendations to support education stakeholders in planning for a return to learning. According to the brief, significant learning losses in Gaza have created significant gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy, impeding transition to higher education levels. These learning losses are cumulative, compounded by a history of intermittent disruptions, resulting in at least 17 months of lost schooling. While Education Cluster partners have sought to provide some types of learning to children since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, the security situation and large-scale displacement continued to disrupt or force the suspension of services, most recently since 18 March, jeopardizing the short-lived efforts to restore in-person learning activities for out-of-school children that had only resumed during the 42-day ceasefire that came into effect on 19 January.
• The full blockade has also had a detrimental impact on the provision of health services, including for children. Children are now unable to get their routine vaccinations, reported UNICEF. Moreover, the Health Cluster reported that the fourth round of the polio vaccination campaign targeting over 600,000 children, which was scheduled to take place in early April, is currently pending due to ongoing displacement orders, movement restrictions, and depletion of vaccines. Meanwhile, service delivery at 13 routine immunization health service delivery points has been interrupted due to displacement orders. On 22 April, Médecins du Monde (MdM) issued an urgent call to protect children’s health in Gaza and warned: “Without immediate intervention, [Gaza’s] children could face a communicable disease resurgence, endangering the lives of thousands of children.” Children also comprise the majority of patients suffering burns due to hostilities, who have been left with few options for care with the decimation of Gaza’s health care system, reported Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Since May 2024, MSF teams working in Nasser Hospital have provided more than 1,000 surgical operations to burn patients, 70 per cent of whom have been children, mostly under the age of five. Underscoring that without enough medical supplies and specialized staff, patients, many of whom are children, are left without proper care, including adequate pain management, Dr Ahmad Abu Warda, MSF medical activity manager working at Nasser Hospital, said: “Children scream as we are forced to peel burnt fabric from their skin… They beg us to stop but if we don’t remove the dead tissue, infection and sepsis can lead to death.”
• On 25 April, the World Food Programme (WPF) reported that its food stocks in Gaza have been depleted, as the agency delivered its last remaining supplies to kitchens preparing hot meals. WFP additionally highlighted the impact of deteriorating nutrition on vulnerable groups, including children under five, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and the elderly, warning that the situation has again reached “a breaking point.” According to the Food Security Sector (FSS), as of 28 April, about 950,000 individual meals were prepared and delivered through about 168 kitchens daily, compared with over one million meals per day during previous weeks in April. Most partners will run out of stocks, and more kitchens will soon be closing one after another. At least 10 kitchens have shut down while some have adjusted meal content and/or reduced the number of meals prepared daily to further stretch the dwindling resources and avoid complete closure. While cooked meals remain a lifeline for most families, the single meal provided daily is not enough to meet the daily caloric intake and diet diversity required for children and adults. All 25 UN-supported bakeries had closed as of 31 March, as flour stocks and cooking fuel ran out, while food parcel distribution halted as of the first week of April. As an emergency measure, partners conducted a one-off food distribution of contingency items such as high-energy biscuits, date bars, vegetable oil and mixed, cooked meal supplies, starting the week of 13 April. As of 27 April, the distribution reached about 700,000 people across the Gaza Strip – except in Rafah governorate, which is inaccessible – with priority given to newly displaced and large families.
• The water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Cluster warns that the ongoing sanitation crisis presents a severe and escalating public health emergency and demands immediate action. According to the January Joint WASH Assessment, more than half of the population rely on limited, unimproved, or no sanitation facilities, and over three quarters report exposure to health hazards, such as sewage and rodent infestation. Vulnerable groups, particularly malnourished children under the age of five, face heightened susceptibility to illnesses and infections. Alongside urgent sanitation conditions, key protection concerns include lack of lighting, no locks, poor gender segregation, and fear of sexual harassment, particularly affecting the privacy and safety of girls and women. These conditions not only threaten the dignity and safety of the most vulnerable groups but also heighten the risk of disease outbreaks. 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.
• Recent bombardment by Israeli forces in Gaza city, North Gaza and Khan Younis destroyed critical equipment for waste removal, sewage maintenance, and water supply, further limiting waste removal, maintenance of sewage infrastructure, and water services. Before the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, Gaza’s sewage service networks covered most areas, and there were four functional treatment plants and over 20 pumping stations. Since then, according to the WASH Cluster’s Sanitation Briefing Note for April 2025, all treatment plants have 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. This has resulted in sewage being diverted into lagoons, such as the Sheikh Radwan and Al Saftawi lagoons, which now face frequent overflow risks, putting tens of thousands of people at risk of sewage flooding. In parallel, WASH personnel and sanitation workers in Gaza are operating under increasingly dangerous conditions, while restricted access to critical sites is preventing timely repairs and desludging efforts. With no access to personal protective equipment, these workers are further exposed to severe public health risks as they respond to growing sanitation challenges.
• According to the latest Gender-Based Violence (GBV) snapshot, the risk of GBV in Gaza has escalated between December 2024 and March 2025. As access to food, water, shelter, and medical care continues to deteriorate, the resulting environment of extreme deprivation and fear has significantly increased GBV risks. Women and girls in Gaza, particularly those who are displaced, widowed, living with disabilities, unaccompanied, or leading households, face heightened risks of GBV due to the collapse of social protection systems, economic hardship, and overcrowded shelters. This includes intimate partner violence, sexual abuse, and forced or child marriage. Although less reported, men and boys—especially in detention or conflict settings—also face sexual violence but have limited support due to stigma, fear, and lack of appropriate services. Meanwhile, access to GBV response services in Gaza remains critically limited, leaving countless survivors without recourse or protection. Since the start of the escalation on 18 March 2025, three Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) in Gaza have been forced to close while 14 WGSS located in Gaza, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis remain operational as of 30 April, with only remote support for complex cases available in North Gaza and Rafah. The GBV snapshot further highlights suicidal ideation observed among GBV survivors, who often experience grave psychological impacts resulting from the violence they have experienced. During the four-month reporting period, a total of 43 female survivors were known to have committed suicide. In April, GBV actors report a significant increase in the number of women seeking psycho-social support and a surge in demand for remote case management services, underscoring the urgent need for increased investment in GBV services.
• The Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group’s (GIHA) latest multisectoral gender analysis further highlights that the collapse of the fragile ceasefire, escalating hostilities, repeated displacement orders, and the ongoing aid blockade have had devastating consequences, particularly for women and girls. “The crisis is deepening existing gender inequalities and disproportionately affecting those with intersecting vulnerabilities – such as women heads of households, adolescent girls, older women, caregivers, and those with disabilities or chronic health conditions.” The report further highlights the critical role of women-led organizations (WLOs) and women’s rights organizations (WROs) in Gaza’s humanitarian response, particularly meeting the unique needs of women and girls and reaching the most vulnerable populations. The report underscores that despite their vital role, WLOs and WROs remain chronically underfunded, noting that in 2024, they received less than 0.1 per cent of total humanitarian financing in the OPT, while the majority have been significantly impacted by global funding cuts. According to GIHA, a total of 71 per cent of surveyed WLOs and WROs have had to reduce service provision to recipients of humanitarian assistance due to funding cuts, while some were also forced to suspend programmes entirely or decrease the number of staff. "The sustainability of funding and resource mobilization is one of our most pressing needs,” notes one WLO/WRO representative consulted.

Funding

• As of 29 April 2025, Member States have disbursed approximately US$ 599.0 million out of the $4.07 billion (14.7 per cent) requested to meet the most critical humanitarian needs of three million out of 3.3 million people identified as requiring assistance in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 2025, under the 2025 Flash Appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Nearly 88 per cent of the requested funds are for humanitarian response in Gaza, with just over 12 per cent for the West Bank. Moreover, during March 2025, the oPt Humanitarian Fund (oPt HF) managed 110 ongoing projects, totalling $67.6 million, to address urgent needs in the Gaza Strip (89 per cent) and the West Bank (11 per cent). Of these projects, 56 are being implemented by international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), 42 by national NGOs and 12 by UN agencies. Notably, 43 out of the 68 projects implemented by INGOs or the UN are being implemented in collaboration with national NGOs. For more information, please see OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service webpage and the oPt HF webpage.

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