Posted on 10 January 2024
Three months since the initiation of conflict in the Middle East, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to spiral. Over 23,000 civilians have now been killed in the conflict, with an estimated 70% of these being women and children. The UN Palestinian Relief Agency (UNRWA) estimated that 1.9 million people, almost 85% of the population, were internally displaced at the end of 2023.
Gaza’s health system is severely compromised, with only 13 out of 36 hospitals partially functional. Evacuation orders have led most healthcare workers to leave Al Aqsa Hospital, the sole functioning hospital in the governorate of Deir al Balah in central Gaza.
Gaza faces critical shortages of food, clean water, medical supplies and sanitation services. There is an increasing risk of famine in the region, with over half a million people in Gaza experiencing Phase 5 'catastrophic' level hunger, and disease continues to spread rapidly. Delivering humanitarian assistance remains hugely challenging due to restricted routes and delayed movement of staff and supplies.
Photo credit: Save the Children. Destruction in Khan Younis