Attachments
KEY FIGURES
41,878 Fatalities*
40,878 in Gaza
691 in West Bank
100,154 Injuries*
94,454 in Gaza
5,700 in West Bank
~1.9M Internally displaced**
1.9M in Gaza (90% of Gaza)
4,866 in West Bank
1.34M Women of reproductive age***
541,567 in Gaza
797,097 in West Bank
17 OF 36 Hospitals in the Gaza Strip** are partially functional 19 hospitals are out of service
58 OF 103 Primary health care centres in the Gaza Strip** are partially functional 45 PHC are out of service
28,000 Pregnant women*** experiencing emergency and catastrophic food insecurity
11,000 IPC Phase 5
17,000 IPC Phase 4
13,649 Expected deliveries in the next month***
5,522 in Gaza
8,127 in West Bank
SITUATION OVERVIEW
For the past 11 months, the people of Gaza have endured relentless suffering, with Israeli bombardments from air, land, and sea, as well as ground incursions. This has caused widespread civilian casualties, displacement, and extensive destruction of homes and infrastructure. As of 05 September, the Ministry of Health reports that over 40,878 people in Gaza have been killed- an average of 130 per day- and 94,454 injured. Approximately 1.9 million people, or 90% of the population, have been displaced, often multiple times, with at least 63% of structures damaged. The UNOSAT damage assessment from July estimates 49 million tonnes of debris have been generated.
Multiple evacuation orders now cover approximately 86% of the Gaza Strip, with the so-called ‘humanitarian area’ shrinking to just 11%. This has far reaching implications on all aspects, including the loss of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service facilities, safe spaces, and protection. In August alone, Israeli forces issued 16 evacuation orders, forcing 258,000 people to flee once again under fire, carrying only what they could manage, into increasingly overcrowded, polluted, and unsafe areas with limited services.
Continuous displacements have led to the separation of families, eroded social protection systems for women and children, and weakened the overall social safety net in Gaza. This has exposed women and girls to heightened risks of various forms of violence, including gender-based violence (GBV).
Gaza’s residents are trapped in a cycle of fear, hunger, disease, and displacement. Continuous bombardments, combined with inadequate access to food, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare, have left them struggling to survive in unlivable conditions. Malnutrition is widespread, particularly among pregnant and breastfeeding women, with 9-10% acutely malnourished in June and July, according to the Nutrition Cluster. This has led to a rise in preterm and low birth weight infants, with 28% of the 2,141 facility-based deliveries in July being C-sections, and 185 cases of preterm births and stillbirths.
‘’At 2 a.m., I went into labour. When we called for an ambulance, they failed to come due to the airstrikes. By 5 a.m., I couldn’t wait any longer. I walked to the hospital, holding onto my husband through the pain. After the examination, I learned one baby’s heartbeat was gone and needed an emergency delivery for the twins. Once I delivered him, the pain faded, but my heart was on fire for the baby I had lost.’’ - Maysam, 34, a displaced mother from Shuja’iyya, Gaza
No hospitals in Gaza are fully operational. Seventeen hospitals and 58 PHC clinics are partially functioning, struggling to provide even minimal healthcare services due to chronic shortages of fuel and medical supplies. Healthcare staff are overwhelmed by mass casualty incidents and surges in communicable diseases, further strained by the deaths and detention of healthcare workers. Since the war began, the World Health Organization has recorded 492 attacks on healthcare facilities, over 300 healthcare workers detained, and around 500 killed.
Humanitarian aid and essential services are severely hindered by ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders, blockades, and access challenges. The closure of the Rafah border crossing has left only a few remaining crossings for humanitarian cargo. Coupled with numerous restrictions on what can be brought into Gaza, this has led to a significant backlog of cargo, making it very difficult for the logistics cluster to deliver supplies to the UN and other humanitarian organizations. Since early July, UNFPA has managed to bring in only one truckload of reproductive health supplies into Gaza due to delays at crossings and logistical hurdles.
Aid workers, including health and GBV prevention and response service providers, face immense challenges. Many live in makeshift tents with limited access to water and essential services. Frequent internet and electricity outages complicate the coordination of humanitarian efforts and communication with communities. The lack of cash liquidity and unaffordable transport further restrict access to the few available SRH and protection services.
A complete breakdown in law and order in Gaza has also severely impacted the humanitarian response, with high-value cargo, including hygiene items and food, occasionally being looted.
The absence of a functioning banking system and stringent restrictions on bringing cash into Gaza, combined with regular staff rotations and missions of senior UN officials, have disrupted emergency response operations. Sufficient cash on hand is crucial for continuing life-saving assistance.
The ongoing violence is having a devastating toll on Gaza’s youth, with 24% of fatalities being young adults aged 18 to 29, a group that makes up 21% of Gaza’s population. The psychological toll on students and teachers is severe, affecting at least 650,000 students in basic education, 30,000 in kindergarten, and 120,000 in higher education institutions.
‘’Every second and every minute, my mental state worsens. I constantly worry about being homeless and out on the street in this intense heat. I had to set up a stall to provide for my food, drink, and treatment because there’s no medicine or care available. If you have money, you buy. If you don’t, you will die‘’ - Nour, 31, from Nusierat camp, living with a physical disability
In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, violence is also on the rise. Since 7 October, more than 691 Palestinians have been killed, 5,700 injured, and 4,866 displaced. OCHA has recorded 1,270 attacks by Israeli settlers, resulting in deaths, injuries, property damage, and the displacement of 259 Palestinian households, including 1,547 people, with 753 children of them being children.
Movement restrictions are impeding access to health and social services, hindering ambulances, and obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid. Travel between cities and villages has become increasingly perilous, leading to shortages of water, fuel, and other essentials, and making it difficult for residents to reach schools, workplaces, family, and healthcare facilities.
On 28 August, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the West Bank, including raids on Tulkarem, Jenin, and Tubas. Israeli forces besieged Jenin Hospital, obstructing access for medical staff and patients. Since the operation began, three births have occurred at the Yabad emergency centre in Jenin, which is one of the ten designated safe motherhood centres in the West Bank created to address movement restrictions. Pregnant women in these areas face severe risks, heightened fears, and significant stress due to the lack of access to proper maternal health services.
* Palestinian Ministry of Health - 06 September 2024
** OCHA Reported Impact Snapshot - Gaza Strip - 04 September 2024
*** MISP calculation