UNRWA Situation Report #157 on Crisis in Gaza and West Bank

Displaced people cross to northern Gaza, January 2025. © 2025 UNRWA Photo by Ashraf Amra

Highlights

• Thousands of trucks – including over 1,000 UNRWA trucks – carrying essential humanitarian aid have crossed into the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire until 26 January.

• Since the start of the ceasefire until 26 January, UNRWA teams have already reached more than 550,000 people with food parcels and nearly 465,000 with a total of 43,000 cubic metres of potable and domestic water in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of families across the five governorates have received non-food items, including blankets, mattresses, floor mats, clothes, kitchen items, and tarps. UNRWA continues to provide essential services, including primary health consultations and psychosocial support activities for adults and children.

• On 24 January, the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations wrote a letter to the Secretary General ordering UNRWA to cease operations and evacuate all premises in occupied East Jerusalem by 30 January, in line with legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset in October 2024.

• On 27 January, the Israeli Forces withdrew from parts of the Netzarim corridor, allowing displaced people to return to northern Gaza on foot and in vehicles. Since then and as of 28 January, at least 376,000 persons are estimated to have crossed to the north.

• On 28 January, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini addressed the United Nations Security Council highlighting that a full implementation of the legislation against UNRWA, as adopted by the Israeli Parliament last October, “will be disastrous.”

Key points

The Gaza Strip

• OCHA reported that on 25 January, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the second release operation under the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on 19 January. Four Israeli hostages were transferred from Gaza to the Israeli authorities and 200 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli prisons.

• On 27 January, the Israeli Forces withdrew from parts of the Netzarim corridor, allowing displaced people to return to northern Gaza on foot and in vehicles. The Site Management Working Group (SMWG) co-lead by UNRWA reported that, since then and as of the late morning of 28 January, over 376,000 persons are estimated to have crossed to the north.

• On 28 January, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini addressed the United Nations Security Council highlighting that a full implementation of the legislation against UNRWA, as adopted by the Israeli Parliament last October, “will be disastrous.” He stated that, while the Government of Israel claims that UNRWA can be replaced, “the Agency’s mandate to provide public-like services to an entire population is unique. Our capacity to directly provide primary healthcare for millions of Palestinians, and to resume education for hundreds of thousands of children, far exceeds that of any other entity. These services can only be transferred to a functioning state.” UNRWA Commissioner-General also stressed that curtailing the Agency’s operations now “outside a political process, and when trust in the international community is so low – will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition.”

• Thousands of humanitarian trucks – including over 1,000 UNRWA trucks – carrying essential food supplies, shelter items, and medicines have crossed into the Gaza Strip since the start of the ceasefire (information is valid only until 26 Janaury), enabling a significant expansion of the humanitarian response.

• According to OCHA, on 22 January, 274,350 litres of fuel were delivered to northern Gaza for the first time since the ceasefire began, with UNRWA participating in critical fuel missions to Gaza City.

• The UN is mobilising on average 600 trucks a day and distributing aid to people in urgent need. This is presenting operational challenges, including due to reduced warehousing capacity and destroyed infrastructure – among them UNRWA facilities. Thanks to its footprint and extensive staff presence across the Gaza Strip, UNRWA is pivotal in this scale-up of aid distributions within Gaza. The UN will continue to advocate for an increase of commercial sector activity, as the UN cannot unilaterally sustain the entire response.

• UNRWA teams are on the ground to deliver aid and provide services to a population overwhelmed by 15 months of constant bombardment, forced displacement, and lack of critical resources. Since the start of the ceasefire up to 26 January, UNRWA teams have already reached more than 550,000 people with food parcels and have enough in the pipeline to reach the rest of Gaza’s population.

• As of early January 2025, UNRWA had distributed 60 per cent of all tents provided by humanitarian actors in the Gaza Strip since July 2024. Now the Agency has 22,000 tents (or the equivalent of around 100 trucks) ready to enter Gaza. Since the ceasefire came into force, thousands of families across the five Governorates have received non-food items, including blankets, mattresses, floor mats, clothes, kitchen items, and tarps.

• In the Gaza governorate alone, UNRWA teams have distributed around 4,000 tarpaulins reaching approximately 20,000 people, over 2,600 shelter kits, and around 2,700 hygiene kits reaching nearly 15,000 people. Moreover, non-food items and shelter supplies, including hygiene kits, blankets, and tents, continue to be distributed in the southern Gaza Strip, where over 550 tents were distributed to over 550 families (3,000 individuals) so far.

• Since the start of the ceasefire up to 26 January, UNRWA teams have collected 3,000 tons of solid waste and reached nearly 475,000 people with a total of 43,000 cubic metres of potable and domestic water.

• During the same period, 370 pallets of medical supplies including medicines, laboratory and dental supplies, and enough insulin syringes for over 17,000 people for eight months have been dispatched to UNRWA-run health facilities, including in Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat, and Al Mawasi, as well as the Beach Health Centre in Gaza governorate, where services have been restored this week.  These supplies had previously been stuck in Al Arish for months on end. More medical supplies are ready to enter the Gaza Strip to respond to people’s primary health care needs for up to nine months.

• UNRWA teams continue to provide psychosocial support services and primary health consultations wherever possible. On 25 January alone, 1,022 UNRWA health staff worked in health centres, temporary clinics and medical points across the Gaza Strip, providing 13,768 health consultations.  Between 20 and 26 January 2025, a total of 12,477 displaced people accessed psychosocial support sessions and activities.

• 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. Hundreds of thousands of people have crossed to northern Gaza since 27 January.

• On 20 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that, between 7 October 2023 and 31 December 2024, 651 attacks on health care had been registered in the Gaza Strip, affecting 122 health facilities including 33 hospitals.

• OCHA reported that, according to a field assessment by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), up to 70 per cent of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in North Gaza have sustained damage, with only three litres per person per day currently available there. PWA reported severe damage — exceeding 90 per cent — to the seawater desalination plant in Gaza City, which has left a critical gap in water supply and whose rehabilitation is estimated to take about one year, with a cost of USD 5 million.

• According to a study published on 23 January by The Lancet, life expectancy in the Gaza Strip dropped from a pre-war average of 75.5 years to 40.5 years for the period between October 2023 and September 2024, decreasing by almost half (46.3 per cent) since the war began. Life expectancy losses were larger for males (51.6 per cent) than for females, but nonetheless, females also suffered large losses (38.6 per cent). However, the study does not consider the indirect effects of the war, making its estimates conservative.

• On 28 January, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) published a damage assessment to greenhouses due to the conflict in the Gaza Strip as of 31 December 2024, according to which 56.5 per cent of the Gaza Strip’s greenhouses have been damaged. FAO reported that 75 per cent of fields once used to grow crops and olive tree orchards have been damaged or destroyed. Over two-thirds of agricultural wells (1,531 in total) are no longer functional. Livestock losses are at 96 per cent, milk production has nearly halted, and only 1 per cent of poultry remains alive. The fishing sector is also on the brink of collapse. FAO assessed that “rebuilding Gaza’s agricultural sector will be extremely expensive and will take years, if not decades.”

• Between 7 October 2023 and 28 January 2025, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, as stated by OCHA, at least 47,354 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza and 111,563 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.

• As reported by OCHA, since the ceasefire took effect, coordination with Israeli Authorities for humanitarian aid missions is no longer required, except mainly for entering the buffer zones. Humanitarian partners and assistance are now reaching areas that were previously hard or impossible to access, such as North Gaza, areas in southern Gaza City, Al Fukhkhari and Abasan areas in Khan Younis, and eastern Rafah.

• The total number of UNRWA team members killed since 7 October 2023 is 272.

The occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem

• According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 26 January 2025, 845 Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Of those, 498 Palestinians were killed in 2024.

• On 21 January, the Israeli Forces launched a new large-scale operation in Jenin Camp and city in northern West Bank. As at 28 January, the operation is ongoing, with 16 Palestinians killed and more than 60 injured. Among the fatalities was a two-year-old child killed on 25 January. The Israeli Forces have deployed airstrikes, armoured bulldozers, and explosive demolitions during the course of the operation, which has caused extensive damage to homes and civilian infrastructure, and triggered extensive displacement. This Israeli Forces operation started following a brief pause in hostilities between Palestinian Security Forces and Palestinian armed actors present inside Jenin Camp, which collapsed on 20 January following more than a month of armed clashes resulting in casualties and extensive damage to camp infrastructure. UNRWA services in Jenin Camp remain suspended.

• On 24 January, the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations communicated to the Secretary General that UNRWA would be required to terminate all operations and evacuate all premises in East Jerusalem by 30 January, in line with legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset in October 2024. The order is in contradiction of international law obligations, which oblige the State of Israel to respect United Nations privileges and immunities, including the inviolability of United Nations premises.

• On 25 January, 200 Palestinians were released from Israeli detention as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Overall situation

The Gaza Strip

• Between 7 October 2023 and 28 January 2025, according to the MoH in Gaza as stated by OCHA, at least 47,354 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in the Gaza Strip while 111,563 have been reported injured.

|    Humanitarian access and protection of civilians

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 19 January 2025, UNRWA provided over 7.3 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. Over 242,000 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 25 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 101 mobile medical teams working in 54 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 25 January, 1,099 UNRWA health staff worked in health centres, temporary clinics and medical points across the Gaza Strip, providing 13,768 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 25 January, UNRWA teams responded to 346 cases in health centres and at medical points through individual consultations, awareness sessions and to address cases of gender-based violence (GBV).  

• On 25 January, UNRWA medical teams provided care for 923 post-natal and pregnant women at high risk.

• On 25 January, UNRWA teams provided dental and oral health services in fixed and mobile clinics, reaching 538 patients.

• On 25 January, 274 patients received physiotherapy rehabilitation services in health centres and medical points.

• Since the ceasefire started, UNRWA health teams have received nearly 370 pallets of medical supplies including medicines, laboratory and dental supplies, and enough insulin syringes for six months. These items had previously been stuck in Al Arish for a long time. More medical supplies are ready to enter the Gaza Strip and are expected to respond to people’s primary health care needs for up to nine 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 86 Temporary Learning Spaces in 40 UNRWA schools-turned-shelters[2], with the support of over 900 teachers and up to 600[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 20 and 26 January 2025, 5,578 children (3,362 boys, 2,216 girls, including 208 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 war and up to 26 January 2025, around 730,000 displaced people, including over 520,000 children, have benefited from 282,944 PSS sessions and activities. Between 20 and 26 January, a total of 12,477 displaced people accessed these services.

• Between 7 October 2023 and 26 January 2025, UNRWA’s social work team has provided services to 206,439 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 1,606 unaccompanied children, covering reunification, cash assistance, safe sheltering, medication, dignity kits and non-food items through referrals. The team also supported 22,621 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 153,587 displaced people.

Food Security

• Since the start of the war, 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. To date, at least 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).

• In January so far, around 100,000 cubic metres of water – both potable and domestic – were distributed by UNRWA across the Gaza Strip, registering an increase compared to last year due to the start of the ceasefire.

• Winterization efforts are ongoing in southern Gaza and the middle area, with over 350 manholes cleaned in January. Moreover, 150 cleaning and pest and rodent control measures were implemented. During the same period, UNRWA conducted 45 hygiene promotion sessions.

• UNRWA continues to provide a solid waste collection and transfer service in southern Gaza and the middle area. In January thus far, over 7,400 tons of solid waste have been collected and transported to temporary dumping sites.  

• Since the start of the ceasefire up to 26 January, UNRWA teams have collected 3,000 tonnes of solid waste and reached nearly 475,000 people with a total of 43,000 cubic metres of potable and domestic water.