• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UNRWA Situation Report #95 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - All information from 24-25 March 2024, is valid as of 25 March 2024 at 22:30

UNRWA

27 Mar 2024

Key Points

The Gaza Strip

• On 24 March, UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, [1] that Israeli Authorities had informed the UN that they will no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys to northern Gaza. Since 22 March, five UNRWA food convoy requests to access the north have been denied by Israeli Authorities.
• On 25 March the UN Security Council adopted a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan. It called for increasing the flow of humanitarian aid, ensuring humanitarian access and the immediate and unconditional release of all Israeli hostages in Gaza.
• Despite the adoption of the resolution, Israeli Security Forces (ISF) continued military operations across Gaza, particularly in Al Rimal area near Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, central Khan Younis, and the vicinity of Al Amal and Nasser hospitals also in Khan Younis. This has resulted in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure. Airstrikes and bombardment continued tin Rafah where UNRWA estimates a total of 1.2 million people are now living, the vast majority in formal and informal shelters.
• UNICEF confirmed[2] that 13,750 children have now been killed, and cited reports of a near double digit number of children killed overnight, hours after the Security Council resolution was passed.
• According to the Gaza Health Cluster[3] hospitals in the north Gaza and Gaza face challenges due to recent military operations, and are in dire need of fuel, medical supplies and medical staff. Hospitals are operating with limited resources, facing electricity shortages and witnessing an increase in trauma cases and malnutrition. This highlights the urgent need for continued support and assistance from all clusters/sectors.
• Restoration of health services in Nasser hospital is ongoing. On the 17 March WHO, UNRWA, UNMAS and UNOCHA conducted a mission to provide 10,000 litres of fuel to Nasser hospital, and conducted a rapid needs assessment of the hospital (WASH and health equipment).
• There has been no significant change in the volume of supplies entering Gaza or improved access to the north. The first 25 days of March saw an average of 155 aid trucks per day crossing. The highest number this month was on 11 March, when 236 trucks entered Gaza via the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Rafah land crossing. This remains well below the operational capacity of both border crossings and the target of 500 per day. UNRWA is the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza with over 1.8 million people, or 85 per cent of the population, reached with flour since 7 October as one example. In addition, nearly 600,000[4] people have received emergency food parcels and almost 3.5m patient consultations provided at health centres and health points. UNRWA continues to provide storage and distribution of other agencies' food commodities.
• As of 25 March, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities is 171.
• As of 25 March, up to 1.7 million* people (over 75 per cent of the population) ** have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, the majority multiple times.*** Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in recent weeks, a significant number of displaced people have moved further south.

*This includes 1 million individuals residing in or near emergency shelters or informal shelters. As of 12 October, approximately 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded in UNRWA shelters in Northern Gaza and Gaza City governorates. UNRWA currently estimates that the population of Northern Gaza and Gaza City governorates is up to 250,000 people. The ability of UNRWA to provide humanitarian support and updated data in these areas has been severely restricted. The ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders issued by ISF, and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times.

**UNRWA reported on 15 January in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs were either residing in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters. Due to the continued escalation of fighting and evacuation orders, some households have moved away from the shelters where they were initially registered.

*** There are instances where the same IDPs are registered in multiple shelters due to the fluid movement of populations; hereafter, estimates are used for these shelters. UNRWA plans to conduct a more accurate count of IDPs in shelters, including informal shelters, as soon as the security situation allows.

[1] Philippe Lazzarini on X: "# Gaza: as of today, @UNRWA, the main lifeline for #Palestine Refugees, is denied from providing lifesaving assistance to northern Gaza. Despite the tragedy unfolding under our watch, the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any @UNRWA food... https://t.co/lfp9xRQuh1" / X (twitter.com)

[2] Gaza: 'Double-digit' number of children reported killed overnight - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb

[3] Gaza Health Cluster Bi-Weekly Report_March 22 2024: Gaza Health Cluster Partners Bi-Weekly Update 03 (Mar 20, 2024) - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb

[4] UNRWA and other UN parcels distributed by UNRWA.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem

• Between 21 and 25 March, more than 150 ISF search and arrest operations were recorded across the West Bank, with at least 84 Palestinians detained during this period. During one of the operations nine Palestinians including three from Gaza were detained on 25 March in Jalazone Camp (central West Bank).
• During the above period, six Palestinians were killed, including one who was killed during an ISF operation in Aqbat Jabr Camp and another killed during an ISF operation in Al Am'ari Camp, both on 21 March.
• ISF has imposed additional access impediments in the southern West Bank, with concrete blocks and iron gates installed at the entrances of three villages on 25 March: Umm al Khair, Ma'in, and Masafer Yatta. These restrictions have increased since October, limiting Palestinian movement across the West Bank.
• The security situation in East Jerusalem remained tense, with checkpoints around the city tightened on 22 March ahead of Friday prayers. On the evening of 25 March, several Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians and their commercial property in the Old City.