UNRWA Situation Report #163 on Crisis in Gaza and West Bank

Children accessing basic education in one of UNRWA Temporary Learning Spaces in the Gaza Strip,

Highlights

• On 2 March, the Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, including fuel. No supplies – either humanitarian or commercial – have entered Gaza since then. Despite the border closure and existing challenges, UNRWA continues to provide critical aid and services to a population communities overwhelmed by 15 months of constant bombardment, forced displacement, and lack of critical resources.

• 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 507,000 health consultations and reached more than half a million people with shelter and non-food items.

• Over the past two weeks, UNRWA teams have been able to recover access to more than 130 additional Temporary Learning Spaces in schools and shelters in Gaza City, Gaza middle area and southern Gaza, reaching over 44,000 children with basic education in the past week alone.

• According to OCHA, on 9 March, the Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Eli Cohen announced an order to cut off electricity to Gaza with immediate effect, impacting the operations of the South Gaza Desalination Plant supported by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). UNICEF warned that water shortages in the Gaza Strip have reached critical levels, with only one in 10 people currently able to access safe drinking water.

• 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 and partners continue to provide urgent humanitarian assistance and psychosocial support (PSS) to families displaced within the northern West Bank.

Key points

The Gaza Strip

• On 2 March, the Israeli authorities announced a halt to humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, including fuel. No supplies – humanitarian or commercial – have entered Gaza since then. The Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Muhannad Hadi, stated: “The entry of lifesaving aid must resume immediately. Any further delays will further reverse any progress we have managed to achieve during the ceasefire.”

• Despite the border closure and existing challenges, UNRWA teams are on the ground delivering aid and providing services to communities 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 9 March, over 100,000 families (or more than an estimated 600,000 people) had received bedding items through UNRWA, around 63,000 families (or around 416,000 people) had been reached with tarpaulins, and more than 31,000 winter clothing kits had been distributed to vulnerable adults. Over 14,400 families (or around 72,000 people) have been reached by UNRWA teams with tents since the ceasefire started.

• UNRWA teams continue to provide PSS services and primary health consultations wherever possible.  Since the start of the ceasefire until 9 March 2025, UNRWA health teams have provided over 507,000 health consultations (or around 15,000 per working day), antenatal, post-natal and family planning care for over 34,000 women, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching over 21,000 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for over 8,800 patients.

• Over the past two weeks, UNRWA teams have been able to recover access to more than 130 additional Temporary Learning Spaces in schools and shelters in Gaza City, Gaza middle area and southern Gaza, reaching over 44,000 children with basic education in the past week alone.

• OCHA reports that, on 9 March, the Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Eli Cohen announced an order to cut off electricity to Gaza with immediate effect. This decision only impacts the operation of the South Gaza Desalination Plant supported by UNICEF, which has been able to supply up to 18,000 cubic metres of drinking water per day since November 2024. Without electricity, the quantity of drinking water provided by this plant daily will go down to 2,500 cubic metres. UNICEF warned that water shortages in the Gaza Strip have reached critical levels, with only one in 10 people currently able to access safe drinking water.

• 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 11 March 2025, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, as stated by OCHA, at least 48,503 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and 111,927 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 4 March 2025, 896 Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of those, 90 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. As of 9 March, more than 50 Palestinians had been killed in the operation, among them eight children, and more than 35,000 Palestinians remain displaced.

• Between 3 and 4 March, three Palestinians were killed in exchanges of fire between Israeli Forces and Palestinians in Jenin.

• On 6 March, the Israeli Forces started the demolition of more than 16 houses in the Al Manshiyeh neighbourhood of Nur Shams Palestine refugee camp, following demolitions of houses and other structures by the ISF. UNRWA released a statement in relation to the pattern of similar demolitions occurring across a number of Palestine refugee camps in the northern West Bank. To date in 2025, at least 354 structures have been demolished in the West Bank including East Jerusalem. This excludes much of the damage incurred as part of the Israeli Forces large-scale operation in the north, given limited access to affected camps. The demolition on 6 March comes less than a week after 11 houses were demolished in the same camp, 14 houses in the Tulkarm Camp in mid-February, and controlled detonations in Jenin Camp around a month ago that left the parts of the camp uninhabitable.  

• UNRWA and partners continue to provide urgent humanitarian assistance and PSS services to families displaced within the northern West Bank.

• During a search operation in Nablus early on 7 March, the Israeli Forces entered several mosques in the city, reportedly setting fire to Al Nasr Mosque. They also detained three Palestinians.

• Heightened tensions in and around Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem Old City were reported amid tightened security for Ramadan. During the week at least four Palestinians were detained by the Israeli Forces from within the Al Aqsa compound.

Overall situation

The Gaza Strip

• Between 7 October 2023 and 11 March 2025, according to the MoH in Gaza as stated by OCHA, at least 48,503 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the Gaza Strip while 111,927 have been reported injured.Humanitarian access, protection of civilians

Humanitarian access, protection of civilians

As of 11 March 2025, 805* incidents impacting UNRWA premises and the people inside them have been reported since the beginning of the war. 311* 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 738* persons sheltering in UNRWA installations have been killed and at least 2,401* 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 9 March 2025, UNRWA provided over 7.8 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 259,000 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 9 March 2025, UNRWA health teams have provided over 507,000 health consultations (or around 15,000 per working day), antenatal, post-natal and family planning care for over 34,000 women, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching over 21,000 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for over 8,800 patients.

• As of 9 March, only six 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 119 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 3 and 9 March, an average of 1,045 UNRWA health staff worked in health centres, temporary clinics and medical points across the Gaza Strip, providing 73,658 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 3 and 9 March, UNRWA teams responded to 1,643 cases in health centres and at medical points through individual consultations, awareness sessions and to address cases of gender-based violence (GBV).  

• Between 3 and 9 March, UNRWA medical teams provided care for 4,899 post-natal and pregnant women at high risk, dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics reaching 2,967 patients, and physiotherapy rehabilitation services for 1,141 patients in health centres and medical points.

• Since the ceasefire started 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 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 397 Temporary Learning Spaces in 48 UNRWA schools-turned-shelters[2], with the support of over 900 teachers and up to 600[3] school counsellors. More than 50,000 children, over half of them girls, have benefited from UNRWA’s “Back to Learning” programme so far. Between 3 and 9 March 2025, 44,839 children (19,561 boys, 25,278 girls, including 426 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, 277,716 children (149,794 boys, 130,922 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 288,902 PSS sessions and activities. Between 3 and 9 March, a total of 12,674 displaced people accessed these services.

• Between 7 October 2023 and 9 March 2025, UNRWA’s social work team has provided services to 209,445 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 3,590 children, including 1,720 unaccompanied children, covering reunification, cash assistance, safe sheltering, medication, dignity kits and non-food items through referrals. The team also supported 22,936 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 154,434 displaced people.

Food Security

• Since the start of the war and until the start of the ceasefire (19 January 2025), 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.

• In March so far, UNRWA teams have provided 35,500 cubic metres of water to displaced people in emergency shelters and other UNRWA facilities. In the north alone, UNRWA has provided over 4,000 cubic metres of water for over 25,000 people.

• UNRWA continues to provide a solid waste collection and transfer service wherever possible. In March so far, over 4,000 tons of solid waste have been collected by UNRWA sanitation teams. In Rafah, UNRWA supported the cleaning of schools, health centres and streets in Al Shaborah and Khirbat Aladas.

• Since the start of the ceasefire until 4 February, UNRWA has reached nearly 475,000 people with clean water. Over the same period, UNRWA has collected over 13,000 tons of solid waste.

Published on 15 March 2025