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UNFPA SITUATION REPORT #9 - 03 July 2024
The people of Gaza are enduring unimaginable suffering. As of 3 July, 37,953 Palestinians have been killed and 87,266 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH). They have been nearly entirely deprived of the means and resources necessary for food security, shelter, health, and livelihood. Approximately 1.9 million people have been displaced, often repeatedly, forced into tents, overcrowded shelters, or even on the streets, lacking the most basic necessities for dignified life and survival. Based on the accounts of individuals in Gaza, its residents are profoundly entrenched in a sense of helplessness, with many having little hope of returning home or seeing an end to this persistent conflict.
Women’s rights organisations (WRO) and women-led organisations (WLO) Centrality to the GBV Response in Gaza
The Israeli war has intensified pre-existing levels of gender-based violence (GBV). Factors such as poverty, intra-family conflicts, negative coping mechanisms, and displacement have led to increased incidents of GBV including intimate partner violence, emotional violence, and sexual violence. Simultaneously, access to GBV response services is extremely limited and became more challenging after the Israeli Rafah offensive, leading to the collapse of the existing limited services. There is almost no capacity or space for comprehensive case management, psychosocial support/counselling, medical care, or safe sheltering to respond to the majority of GBV cases coupled with a collapse of policing and judicial systems to report incidents.
Menstrual Health Management Response Plan: Gaza Strip - June 2024
This response plan, developed by UNFPA and the GBV Sub-Cluster, aims to bring together those that play a role in Menstrual Health Management (MHM) including the following working groups and clusters: the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Working Group, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), Health, Shelter, Child Protection and GBV. Ensuring that the humanitarian response takes a coordinated approach to meeting the needs of women and girls.
UNFPA SITUATION REPORT #8 - 22 May 2024
The devastating crisis in Gaza intensified even further as a terrifying Israeli ground military operation in Rafah started on May 6, which has to date led to the displacement of 900,000 people from Rafah. Families and communities are being shattered again, having to move for a sixth or seventh time as they live atop rubble and sand, plagued by hunger and pain. These families are crammed into increasingly smaller and overcrowded areas where infrastructure is dwindling and basic necessities are scarce. Everything, from shelter to food, sanitation, and clean water, is in short supply and unaffordable, intensifying their unprecedented suffering.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women have been living in an unrelenting nightmare. Exhausted, traumatized, dehydrated, and malnourished, many face the looming threat of famine and lack even the basics for survival.
UNFPA Palestine Situation Report #7 - 06 April 2024
During March 2024, the hostilities in Gaza escalated, exacerbating an already unprecedented and dire humanitarian situation. The scale of devastation is overwhelming, with approximately 1.7 million people displaced and entire communities obliterated. The specter of starvation looms large, particularly in the north, where around 200,000 people are trapped, with famine expected between now and May.
The Gaza Strip: Gender Based Violence - Response Update March 2024
As the conflict in Gaza persists, gender-based violence (GBV) is increasingly prevalent, posing grave risks to the entire population, especially women and girls. Internally displaced women voice profound fears for their safety and that of their families, citing loss of protection amidst growing Israeli Forces presence and separation from support networks. Overcrowded shelters, inadequate facilities, and critical shortages exacerbate the situation, leading to a breakdown of coping mechanisms and heightened risks of GBV, including child protection issues and sexual exploitation. A ceasefire is urgently needed to enable safe access for the delivery of life-saving support including Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response programming.
UNFPA Palestine Situation Report #6 - 01 March 2024
After five months of the current crisis, Gaza is unrecognizable. The numbers tell a shocking story, with 2.2 million people in dire need of humanitarian aid, among them 1.7 million internally displaced people grappling with cold, starvation, and a public health catastrophe. As of March 1st, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported 30,228 deaths and 71,377 injuries, in addition to the thousands of persons who remain missing. 70% of deaths are women and children. In Rafah are over 1.4 million people, including tens of thousands of vulnerable pregnant women, new mothers, and newborns, many of them have been forcibly displaced multiple times and have nowhere else to go. The assistance provided in Gaza falls far short of meeting the overwhelming needs of the affected population. Manmade hurdles and security concerns severely hamper the delivery of essential supplies and services, leaving hundreds of thousands of desperate, defenseless, and traumatized civilians vulnerable to further harm. On February 27, the HCT in Palestine issued a statement on unacceptable security conditions for humanitarian aid delivery. The statement emphasized that the UN and partners have consistently communicated requirements for facilitating relief efforts in Gaza to Israeli authorities. At a minimum, acknowledging notification of a humanitarian mission in advance entails the responsibility of ensuring safe, smooth, and prompt passage on the ground.
UNFPA Cash Assistance within the Gaza Crisis
The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has had a devastating impact on women and girls, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and increasing the risk of gender-based violence (GBV). The blockade has severely limited access to essential services, including healthcare, and has resulted in widespread poverty and food insecurity.
The rights and wellbeing of older persons in the State of Palestine
Palestine is going through a demographic transition as the number of persons aged 60+ is expected to quadruple between 2020 - 2050 from 251,916 (5% of the total population) to 995,325 (11%). Over the same period, the number of persons aged 15 - 24 will
increase 1.5 times.
Crisis in Palestine: Situation Report 5
15th January marked the 100th day of continuous war in Gaza and the crisis intensifies each day. Of Gaza’s 2.2 million people, more than 1.7 million have been displaced, including many who have been forcibly displaced multiple times. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, as of 23 January, there have been 25,490 deaths, and 63,354 injuries in addition to the thousands of persons who remain missing. 70% of deaths are women and children.