UNRWA Report #162 on the Crisis in Gaza and the West Bank

UNRWA team member provides health services to children in the Gaza Strip, March 2025. © 2025 UNRWA Photo

Highlights

• Since the start of the ceasefire, UNRWA has delivered critical food assistance to the entire population of the Gaza Strip. During the same reporting period, UNRWA teams have provided over 412,000 health consultations and reached more than half a million people with shelter and non-food items.

• On 2 March, the Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, including fuel. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that “Humanitarian aid must continue to flow at scale similar to what we’ve seen over the past six weeks when the ceasefire began,” explaining that “The vast majority of the people in Gaza rely on aid for their sheer survival.”

• The Israeli Forces large-scale operation that started in Jenin camp and other areas of northern West Bank on 21 January 2025 is ongoing, making it by far the single longest Israeli Forces’ operation in the West Bank since the second intifada in the early 2000s and causing the largest population displacement since the 1967 war. UNRWA estimates that at least 40,000 people were forced to flee, the vast majority of them are from Palestine refugee camps.

Key points

The Gaza Strip

• As part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, on 26 February, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the return of the remains of four deceased Israeli hostages by Palestinian armed groups. As reported by OCHA, on 26 and 27 February the Israeli authorities released 642 Palestinian detainees, including 491 who were reportedly detained from the Gaza Strip after 7 October, among them 44 children, and 151 others.

• On 2 March, the Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, including fuel. Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, described the decision as “alarming”, adding that, “International humanitarian law is clear: We must be allowed access to deliver vital lifesaving aid.” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that, “Humanitarian aid must continue to flow at scale similar to what we’ve seen over the past six weeks when the ceasefire began,” explaining that “The vast majority of the people in Gaza rely on aid for their sheer survival.”

• OCHA reports that, according to the Nutrition Cluster, since the ceasefire started more than 3,000 children and 1,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in the Gaza Strip and referred for treatment. However, February data collected by the Nutrition Cluster showed a slight improvement in the number of children and pregnant and breastfeeding women consuming the minimum required food groups.

• Thousands of humanitarian trucks – including over 2,300 UNRWA trucks – carrying essential food supplies, shelter items, and medicines have crossed into the Gaza Strip since the start of the ceasefire until 1 March, enabling a significant expansion of the humanitarian response. The closure of all crossing points on 2 March brought the influx of assistance to a halt for all humanitarian partners.

• UNRWA teams are on the ground delivering aid and providing services to a population overwhelmed by 15 months of constant bombardment, forced displacement, and lack of critical resources. Since the start of the ceasefire, UNRWA teams have delivered critical food assistance to the entire population of the Gaza Strip.

• UNRWA runs 116 shelters across the Gaza Strip, with around 148,000 displaced people residing in them.

• Since the ceasefire, more than half a million people across all five Governorates have received non-food items, including blankets, mattresses, floor mats, clothes, kitchen items, and tarpaulins for rain protection. As of 28 February, over 100,000 families (or more than a quarter of Gaza’s population) had received bedding items through UNRWA and over 60,000 families (or around 400,000 people) were reached with tarpaulins. As of 2 March, over 14,400 families (or around 72,000 people) had been reached by UNRWA teams with tents since the ceasefire started.

• UNRWA teams continue to provide psychosocial support services and primary health consultations wherever possible.  Since the start of the ceasefire until 2 March 2025, UNRWA health teams have provided over 412,000 health consultations (or around 15,000 per working day), antenatal, post-natal and family planning care for over 28,000 women, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching over 17,000 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for over 7,300 patients.

• Since the war started, UNRWA established 52 women’s committees in shelters to provide a gender-sensitive emergency response. These committees remain active even after the ceasefire. In 2024 alone, UNRWA teams distributed over half a million dignity kits aimed at reducing the risk of exploitation for women and girls lacking basic menstrual hygiene supplies. In addition, more than 2,200 women participated in the UNRWA Job Creation Programme (JCP), gaining access to employment opportunities while reducing their vulnerability to exploitation and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

• According to the UN, at least 1.9 million people – or about 90 per cent of the population – across the Gaza Strip were displaced during the war. 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 whatever is left of their homes. Most homes (92 per cent according to the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MoPWH) have been either severely damaged or destroyed.

• Between 7 October 2023 and 2 March 2025, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, as stated by OCHA, at least 48,405 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and 111,835 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.

• The total number of UNRWA team members killed since 7 October 2023 is 275.

The occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem

• According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 3 March 2025, 894 Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of those, 88 Palestinians, including at least 17 children, were killed only since the year began .

• The Israeli Forces large-scale operation that started in Jenin Palestine refugee camp on 21 January 2025 continues, with operations in Nur Shams, Tulkarm, and Jenin camps. Israeli statements have suggested that the operation will continue for the foreseeable future, including preventing residents from returning to the camps. Coercive conditions, threats of demolition, and evacuation orders drove further displacement from these already near-empty camps. The Israeli Forces continued to deploy militarised tactics and advanced weaponry, including the use of tanks. On 1 March, the anticipated demolition of homes in Nur Shams camp took place, with Israeli Forces bulldozers demolishing 11 houses that had received military demolition orders the previous week.  

• One Palestinian was killed during an Israeli Forces’ search operation in Nablus on 25 February, and one Palestinian was killed in an exchange of fire between Israeli Forces and Palestinians in Balata Palestine refugee camp on 27 February.

• On 27 February, a Palestinian from Silat al Harithiya (northern West Bank) allegedly rammed a group of Israelis at an intersection on Road 65 in northern Israel, injuring ten people. He was shot and killed by Israeli police after attempting to flee the scene.  

• The Holy Month of Ramadan started on 1 March with some tensions occurring at Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem’s Old City; this included the Israeli Forces entry to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound on 1 March after evening prayers, and several worshipers summoned by the Israeli Forces for interrogation on 2 March.  

• The Israeli Forces on 2 and 3 March accompanied Israeli settlers to visit Joseph’s Tomb on the outskirts of Nablus, while undertaking search operations and restricting Palestinian movement in the vicinity of the site.

Overall situation

The Gaza Strip

• Between 7 October 2023 and 4 March 2025, according to the MoH in Gaza as stated by OCHA, at least 48,405 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the Gaza Strip while 111,835 have been reported injured.

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 2 March 2025, UNRWA provided over 7.7 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) continued to vaccinate children. Over 257,000 routine vaccines have been given 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 in the first two rounds of the campaign.

• A third round of the polio vaccination campaign supported by UNRWA, WHO, UNICEF, and other partners took place between 22 and 26 February 2025 in the Gaza Strip, reaching over 600,000 children under the age of 10 with this critical vaccine. With over 1,700 personnel organised in 555 mobile and fixed teams, UNRWA vaccinated over 213,000 children, constituting around one third of the overall polio vaccination response.

• Since the start of the ceasefire until 2 March 2025, UNRWA health teams have provided over 412,000 health consultations (or around 15,000 per working day), antenatal, post-natal and family planning care for over 28,000 women, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching over 17,000 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for over 7,300 patients.

• As of 3 March, only five out of 22 UNRWA health centres and five additional UNRWA-rented facilities used as temporary health centres were operational in Gaza. Health services are also provided through 114 mobile medical teams working in 46 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.

• Between 24 February and 2 March, an average of 1,026 UNRWA health staff worked in health centres, temporary clinics and medical points across the Gaza Strip, providing 68,038 health consultations during the reporting period.

• 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. Between 24 February and 2 March, UNRWA teams responded to 2,793 cases in health centres and at medical points through individual consultations, awareness sessions and to address cases of gender-based violence (GBV).  

• Between 24 February and 2 March, UNRWA medical teams provided care for 5,288 post-natal and pregnant women at high risk, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching 3,240 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for 1,115 patients in health centres and medical points.

• Since the ceasefire started and until 24 February, UNRWA health teams have received nearly 550 pallets of medical supplies including medicines, laboratory and dental supplies, and enough insulin syringes for over 17,000 people for eight months. Most of these supplies will cover UNRWA Health services for two months, and some up to eight months.

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 260 Temporary Learning Spaces in 44 UNRWA schools-turned-shelters[2], with the support of over 900 teachers and up to 600[3] school counsellors. More than 35,000 children, over half of them girls, have benefited from UNRWA’s “Back to Learning” programme so far. Between 24 February and 1 March 2025, 34,838 children (16,027 boys, 18,811 girls, including 287 children with disabilities) participated in basic literacy and numeracy activities, PSS sessions and recreational activities including arts, music and sports.

• Building on the onsite learning initiative in the Temporary Learning Shelters, on 1 January 2025, UNRWA launched a new distance learning programme to further mitigate learning loss among displaced children. This enables UNRWA to use a blended approach that combines online with onsite learning, helping Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip to have access to basic literacy and numeracy despite the crisis. To date, 259,409 children (133,051 boys, 126,358 girls) have enrolled in the programme and received basic learning activities delivered by thousands of teachers covering Arabic, English, mathematics, and science.

• UNRWA continues to provide lifesaving PSS services in Gaza. With the support of 240 school counsellors and more than 300 assistant counsellors, UNRWA has provided children, youth, and adults in Gaza with psychological first aid, individual and group counselling, fatigue management sessions, recreational activities, Explosive Ordinance Risk Education and protection cash assistance. Since the onset of the war and up to 23 February 2025, around 730,000 displaced people, including over 520,000 children, have benefited from 287,507 PSS sessions and activities. Between 24 February and 1 March, a total of 8,497 displaced people accessed these services.

• Between 7 October 2023 and 2 March 2025, UNRWA’s social work team has provided services to 209,348 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 3,162 children, including 1,604 unaccompanied children, covering reunification, cash assistance, safe sheltering, medication, dignity kits and non-food items through referrals. The team also supported 22,906 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 154,308 displaced people.

Food Security

• Since the start of the war and until the start of the ceasefire, over 388,000 families (nearly 1.9 million people) have been reached with two rounds of flour; at least 374,000 of those families have received three rounds.

• UNRWA continues to distribute food parcels wherever possible. These include[4] rice, lentils, beans, oil, salt, sugar, milk powder, hummus, halawa, yeast, and canned fish, and are designed to meet the needs of a family of five for two weeks. Up until the start of the ceasefire, at least 1.7 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, having reached over 1.4 million people before the start of the ceasefire.

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 through cleaning supplies, community-based solid waste management and pest control.

• Since the start of the ceasefire, UNRWA teams rehabilitated another water well in Jabalia (north) that has the capacity to provide 80 cubic metres of water per hour and is now serving up to 20,000 people in the area.

• Between 17 and 23 February, UNRWA teams, with the support of the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, have provided 5,500 cubic metres of water per day to displaced people in emergency shelters and other UNRWA facilities.

• UNRWA continues to provide a solid waste collection and transfer service wherever possible. Between 17 and 23 February, over 300 tons of solid waste per day were collected by UNRWA sanitation teams.

• During the same reporting period, UNRWA teams distributed around 3,000 soaps and 2,000 jerrycans.

• Since the start of the ceasefire and until 4 February, UNRWA has reached nearly 475,000 people with clean water. Over the same period, UNRWA has collected over 5,700 tons of solid waste. - UNRWA