UNRWA Situation Report #156 on Crisis in Gaza and West Bank

View of destruction in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, January 2025. © 2025 UNRWA Photo by Ashraf Amra

Highlights

• A deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in the Gaza Strip was announced on 15 January and entered into force on 19 January 2025.

• Hundreds of trucks – including UNRWA trucks – carrying essential humanitarian aid have crossed into the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire. The United Nations are doing everything possible to scale up humanitarian aid across Gaza, fully aware of the existing obstacles and challenges.

• The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that the war has reportedly killed at least 14,500 children, injured thousands more, left an estimated 17,000 unaccompanied or separated from their parents, and nearly one million displaced from their homes.

• According to a preliminary debris quantification assessment conducted by UN-Habitat and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the debris generated by the war in the Gaza Strip amounted to 50,773,496 tonnes by 1 December 2024.

Key points

The Gaza Strip

• A deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza was announced on 15 January 2025. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement, and UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini posted on X (previously known as Twitter) that “this agreement will finally bring much needed respite for the people of Gaza and the release of hostages”, adding that many have been hoping for this moment for 15 months. He pointed out that rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access is needed to respond to the tremendous suffering caused by the war.

• Between 15 January and the morning of 19 January, strikes by the Israeli Forces were reported, with aerial, land and maritime bombardments across the Gaza Strip, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of residential buildings and public infrastructure.

• In a press briefing held in New York on 17 January, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that a ceasefire is only a starting point, adding that UNRWA is ready to support the international response by scaling up aid delivery, as well as the recovery of Gaza by resuming education and continuing to provide primary healthcare. He also warned that a full implementation of the Israeli legislation to end UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories – due to enter into force by the end of the month – would be catastrophic.

• On the morning of 19 January, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip came into force. OCHA explains that the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire provides for the gradual release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of some Palestinian detainees, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from population centres except for identified buffer zones, a gradual withdrawal from the Netzarim corridor between northern and southern Gaza, and the large-scale expansion of aid delivery into Gaza.

• On the first day of the ceasefire, more than 630 trucks with humanitarian aid entered Gaza, at least 300 of them to the north. On the same day, three female Israeli hostages were released from Gaza and 90 Palestinians, among them 69 women and 21 children, were released from Israeli detention into the West Bank including East Jerusalem, as part of the implementation of the ceasefire deal.

• Addressing the UN Security Council on 20 January, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that the United Nations will do everything possible to advance necessary efforts “to scale up humanitarian aid across Gaza, fully aware of the significant obstacles, challenges and constraints that we still face.”

• Thousands  of humanitarian trucks – including UNRWA’s – carrying essential supplies have crossed into the Gaza Strip since the start of the ceasefire. The situation and operating environment in Gaza have significantly improved, allowing for a scale-up in the humanitarian response.

• UNRWA teams are on the ground to deliver supplies and provide services to a population overwhelmed by 15 months of constant bombardment, forced displacement, and lack of critical resources. Scaling up aid delivery, including for the private sector, will be a complex and challenging humanitarian operation in which UNRWA is pivotal.

• UNRWA holds the equivalent of nearly 7,000 trucks of aid in different locations ready to be delivered to the Gaza Strip. A total of 1,521 trucks are currently under procurement.

• The UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that “the war has exacted a horrific toll on Gaza’s children – reportedly leaving at least 14,500 dead, thousands more injured, an estimated 17,000 unaccompanied or separated from their parents, and nearly one million displaced from their homes.”

• The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed that “health challenges ahead are immense”, with only half of Gaza’s 36 hospitals partially operational, nearly all hospitals damaged or partly destroyed, and just 38 per cent of primary health care centres functional. An estimated 25 per of those injured – around 30,000 people – face life-changing injuries and will need ongoing rehabilitation.

• According to a preliminary debris quantification assessment conducted by UN-Habitat and the UNEP, the debris generated by the war in the Gaza Strip increased from 22,9 million tonnes on 7 January 2024 to 50,773,496 tonnes by 1 December 2024, marking a 121 per cent rise in 11 months. The most significant increase was observed in Rafah, while the Gaza Governorate recorded the highest total amount of debris. The UN Secretary-General Spokesperson reported that, according to UN partners working on the shelter response in Gaza, more than 90 per cent of housing units in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed over the past 15 months.

• On 15 January, the Israeli Forces issued an evacuation order impacting areas of Jabalia, north Gaza. Fifteen UNRWA installations are located in close proximity to the affected area.

• According to a study by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the Agricultural Development Association (PARC), and Women’s Affairs Centre (WAC), between October 2023 and October 2024 people in the Gaza Strip had been displaced an average of six times – or every two months – and up to 19 times. The study highlighted that repeated displacement has devastated livelihoods, with 70 per cent of surveyed families reporting no income. The research also pointed out that resource scarcity, overcrowding and lack of privacy have emerged as new drivers of displacement.

• According to the UN, at least 1.9 million people – or about 90 per cent of the population – across the Gaza Strip are displaced. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more. Since the start of the ceasefire, new population movements have been reported, with people trying to return to their homes, most of which have been either severely damaged or destroyed.

• Between 7 October 2023 and 22 January 2025, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, as stated by OCHA, at least 47,161 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and 111,166 have been injured.

• OCHA reports that, the MoH in Gaza published the breakdown of 40,717 out of 42,010 fatalities as of 7 October 2024. These reportedly include 13,319 children, 7,216 women, 3,447 elderly, and 16,735 men. Among the child fatalities, 786 children are under one year of age, representing about 6 per cent of killed children whose full identification details have been documented, the MoH further reported. Additionally, as of 7 October 2024, the MoH noted that 35,055 children had lost one or both parents over the past year.

• According to OCHA, before the ceasefire came into effect, out of 301 planned aid movements requiring coordination with Israeli authorities across the Gaza Strip between 1 and 18 January, 115 were denied, 43 were interfered with or faced impediments, 26 were cancelled due to logistical and security challenges, and 117 were facilitated. Of the 52 coordinated movements needing to cross from southern Gaza through the Israeli military-controlled checkpoints on Al Rashid or Salah ad Din roads to areas north of Wadi Gaza, only 15 were facilitated, while 20 were denied, 12 faced impediments, and five were cancelled. These include 21 attempts to reach the formerly besieged area in North Gaza, of which two were impeded. In the south, out of the 33 planned movements submitted to the Israeli authorities to access Rafah governorate between 1 and 18 January, 24 were denied, five were facilitated, three faced impediments, and one was cancelled. This excludes 20 coordinated movements to Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing, of which 10 were facilitated, three denied, two impeded, and five cancelled. Since the ceasefire came into effect, such coordination is no longer required except for crossing Netzarim corridor or entering the buffer zone.

• As of 20 January, the total number of UNRWA team members killed since 7 October 2023 is 272.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem

• According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 15 January 2025, 829 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of those, 498 Palestinians were killed in 2024.

• Between 13 and 19 January, 15 Palestinians fatalities were reported in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This includes 12 killed by airstrikes: successive Israeli Forces airstrikes on both 14 and 15 January each killed six Palestinians in Jenin Camp, including one child in the airstrike on 14 January. A Palestinian child was shot and killed by Israeli Forces in Sabastiya on 19 January. Two Palestinians from the West Bank in Israeli detention also died during this period, allegedly due to medical negligence.

• On 17 January an agreement to end hostilities in Jenin Camp and surroundings was reportedly reached between Palestinian Security Forces (PSF) and Palestinian armed actors present inside the camp. UNRWA staff members were able to return to the camp on 18 January, following more than a month of suspended services due to the violence. Damage has been sustained by multiple UNRWA facilities inside Jenin Camp, including the Health Centre, the Camp Services Office, and three UNRWA schools.

• Late on 19 January, 90 Palestinians, among them 69 women and 21 children, were released from Israeli detention into the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as part of the prisoner release within the scope of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

• In the lead up to the start of the ceasefire, there was heightened Israeli settler violence and harassment against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Incidents of settler violence were reported during 18 and 19 January in locations including Yatma, Kur, Sabastiya, Yasuf, and Al Mughayyer. On 19 January Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Sinjil, setting fire to a house and several vehicles.

Overall situation

The Gaza Strip

• Between 7 October 2023 and 22 January 2025, according to the MoH in Gaza as stated by OCHA, at least 47,161 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the Gaza Strip while 111,166 have been reported injured.

|    Humanitarian access and protection of civilians

• UNRWA is working to verify the details of incidents that reportedly impact UNRWA premises. Further information will be provided once it becomes available*.

• Two new armed conflict-related incidents have been reported impacting UNRWA installations and displaced people sheltering there, including UNRWA personnel:

o On 18 January, the Israeli Forces directly struck, with an artillery shell, the third floor of an UNRWA health centre in Al Maghazi. The extent of damage to the health centre is under verification.

o On 16 January, the Israeli Forces reportedly directly struck the second and third floor of the southern side of an UNRWA school in Gaza City. Initial reports indicate that two persons were killed, and 17 others were injured. Six classrooms were reportedly damaged.  Additionally, shrapnel resulting from the Israeli Forces strike reportedly struck the northern side of an adjacent UNRWA school, causing damage to eight classrooms. One child was reportedly killed, and 18 persons were injured, including a Job Creation Programme (JCP) worker.

As of 13 January 2025, 665* incidents impacting UNRWA premises and the people inside them have been reported since the beginning of the war. 205* UNRWA installations have been impacted by armed conflict-related incidents since the beginning of the war, some on multiple occasions. UNRWA estimates that, in total, at least 744* persons sheltering in UNRWA installations have been killed and at least 2,346* injured since the start of the war. UNRWA continues to verify and update the number of casualties caused by these incidents.

* Since the start of the war in October 2023, the latest casualty figures are continuously under review as UNRWA gains access to locations that were previously inaccessible and as further verifications occur. The summary figures will be published/updated as information becomes available, noting that these numbers are subject to change once verifications are concluded.

UNRWA response

The Gaza Strip

Health

• According to the Health Cluster, UNRWA remains one of the largest health actors operating in the Gaza Strip, contributing to over half of the people reached with health services since 7 October 2023. Between 7 October 2023 and 12 January 2025, UNRWA provided over 7.2 million medical consultations across the Gaza Strip.

• In addition to medical consultations, UNRWA (in partnership with and supported by other UN agencies, including UNICEF and WHO) continues to immunize children. Nearly 240,000 routine vaccines have been administered to children from January 2024. In addition, around 560,000 children under the age of 10 across the Gaza Strip have been vaccinated against polio.

• As of 19 January, only three out of 22 UNRWA health centres and four additional UNRWA-rented facilities used as temporary health centres were operational in Gaza. Health services are also provided through 89 mobile medical teams working in 52 medical points inside and outside shelters in the middle area, Khan Younis, Al Mawasi and Gaza City. UNRWA health facilities provide primary health care, including outpatient services, non-communicable disease care, giving out medications, vaccination, antenatal and postnatal health care, laboratory and dental services, physiotherapy and dressings for the injured. The number of operational health facilities changes constantly based on demand, access and security.

• As of 19 January, 1,022 UNRWA health staff worked in health centres, temporary clinics and medical points across the Gaza Strip, providing 9,492 health consultations on that day.

• UNRWA continued to provide mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services in the middle and Khan Younis areas, with teams of psychiatrists, psychosocial counsellors and supervisors to assist special cases referred from UNRWA health centres and shelters. On 19 January, UNRWA teams responded to 378 cases in health centres and at medical points through individual consultations, awareness sessions and to address cases of gender-based violence (GBV).  

• On 19 January, UNRWA medical teams provided care for 439 post-natal and pregnant women at high risk.

• On 19 January, UNRWA teams provided dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics, reaching 355 patients.

• On 19 January, 195 patients received physiotherapy rehabilitation services in health centres and medical points.

• UNRWA laboratory services continue to be limited due to little availability of stocks of most laboratory supplies. Laboratory equipment requires maintenance or replacement.

Psychosocial Support and Learning

• UNRWA remains the largest provider of emergency learning and psychosocial support (PSS) across the Gaza Strip. Around 660,000 children are out of school due to the war. On 1 August 2024, UNRWA began its first phase response of “Back to Learning” with a focus on mental health activities. This is taking place in 86 Temporary Learning Spaces in 40 UNRWA schools-turned-shelters[2], with the support of over 900 teachers and up to 750[3] school counsellors. More than 18,000 children, over half of them girls, have benefited from UNRWA’s “Back to Learning” programme so far. Between 13 and 19 January 2025, 8,998 children (3,564 boys, 5,434 girls, including 364 children with disabilities) participated in basic literacy and numeracy activities, PSS sessions and recreational activities including arts, music and sports.

• UNRWA continues to provide lifesaving PSS services in Gaza, including psychological first aid, individual and group counselling, fatigue management sessions, recreational activities, Explosive Ordinance Risk Education and protection cash assistance, reaching children, youth and adults.

• Since the onset of the conflict and up to 19 January, around 730,000 displaced people, including over 520,000 children, have benefited from 281,824 PSS sessions and activities. Between 13 and 19 January, a total of 13,029 displaced people accessed these services.

• Between 7 October 2023 and 13 January 2025, UNRWA’s social work team has provided services to 204,359 displaced people, including psychological first aid, PSS services, family and individual activities, as well as case management. During the same reporting period, protection services were provided to 1,898 survivors of GBV and 3,052 children, including 1,494 unaccompanied children, covering reunification, cash assistance, safe sheltering, medication, dignity kits and non-food items through referrals. The team also supported 22,309 persons with disabilities with PSS; 7,753 of these individuals received assistive devices and rehabilitation services. Awareness sessions on GBV, child protection, disability and special needs, as well as managing social and psychological stressors, were conducted for 153,177 displaced people.

Food Security

• As of January 2025, over 388,000 families (nearly 1.9 million people) have been reached with two rounds of flour; over 374,000 of those families have received three rounds.

• UNRWA continues to distribute food parcels wherever possible. These include[4] rice, chickpeas, lentils, beans, oil, salt, sugar, milk powder, hummus, canned meat and canned fish, and are designed to cover approximately 90 per cent of daily calorific needs per quarter. To date, around 1.69 million people have been reached, of whom at least 215,000 people have received two rounds of food parcels since the war started.

• In addition to the distribution of UNRWA food parcels, the Agency distributes food parcels on behalf of other UN organisations, reaching over 1.4 million people.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

• Since October 2023, UNRWA has carried out emergency WASH activities across the Gaza Strip.  The main activities include operating and maintaining water wells and desalination systems and supplying water with water trucks and bottled water. In addition, UNRWA continues to distribute hygiene kits and maintain hygiene in UNRWA shelters and sites by providing cleaning supplies, community-based solid waste management and pest control.

• UNRWA continues to be one of the largest WASH actors in the Gaza Strip. Between August and mid-November, UNRWA accounted for around 44 per cent of water, sanitation and hygiene activities reported in the Gaza Strip, Including access to water (56 per cent), access to sanitation and solid waste management (42 per cent), and flood mitigation and prevention (66 per cent).