Humanitarian Crisis in the Middle East
Since October 7, 2023, brutal conflict has unleashed unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and escalated tensions in the Middle East. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly called for a humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, adherence to the principles of international humanitarian and human rights law, and the delivery of life-saving supplies at the scale needed. On March 25, 2024, the UN Security Council passed a long-awaited resolution, marking a breakthrough after months of suffering. On June 10, 2024, the Security Council adopted another resolution proposing a comprehensive ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza.
“Peace in Gaza is possible. By sparing no effort for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, and the beginning of an irreversible process towards a two-State solution,” Guterres has said.
The number of dead and wounded has continued to rise, while more than 1.9 million Palestinians – about 90% of the total population – have been internally displaced. Many of them have been displaced multiple times, as families have been forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. The Director for the UN World Food Programme stated, “There is simply no empty space left in Gaza,” noting that makeshift camps are stacked on the beach up to the shoreline, roads are filled with people, while shelters run by the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, are packed.
Amid the devastating loss of life; collapse of water and sanitation services; spread of disease; lack of medical supplies and fuel; and destruction of homes, schools and hospitals, UN staff are on the ground providing desperately needed support and assistance to vulnerable communities, often at great personal risk. At least 220 UN staff have been killed inside Gaza since October 7.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is a direct service provider offering food, education, and healthcare directly to Palestinians throughout the region, including through UNRWA-run centers in Gaza. The vast majority of the 1.9 million people displaced inside Gaza have sought refuge in or around UNRWA shelters, which are operating at 4 times their capacity — at least.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) continues to focus on the critical needs of children, including protection and humanitarian assistance. So far, thousands of children have reportedly been killed and even more injured. UNICEF and partners have delivered emergency supplies including water, life-saving medicines, and equipment inside Gaza, but much more is needed to meet the immense needs of civilians. UNICEF has sounded the alarm about rapidly spreading malnutrition and polio among children. UNICEF analysis has shown that 9 in 10 children living in the Gaza Strip are experiencing severe food poverty. After 25 years of the Gaza Strip being polio-free, the poliovirus was detected in July 2024. Efforts are underway to strengthen and expand poliovirus surveillance and routine immunization.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is responding in Gaza with pre-positioned food for displaced people or those in shelters, where possible. But without safe access, fuel and connectivity, the ability to conduct humanitarian operations is limited. Given the sharp escalation in the conflict, 2.2 million people — the entire population of Gaza — are now experiencing crisis or worsening levels of acute food insecurity. 500,000 Gazans are now experiencing catastrophic hunger—the highest level of food insecurity—a number that has doubled in just three months.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is responding to the crisis by providing life-saving medical supplies, surgical equipment, and trauma kits while expanding emergency care inside Gaza. Following increased levels of internal displacement and overcrowding of shelters and hospitals, WHO has warned about the escalating health crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the West Bank. A recent statement by the UN OCHA and Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee noted, “Healthcare has been decimated. More than 500 attacks on health care have been recorded in Gaza.” WHO has further called for all parties to take every precaution necessary to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health workers, patients, health facilities and ambulances, and civilians who are sheltering in these facilities.
