OCHA Annual Report 2022 (Excerpts)

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Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

The protracted political crisis in OPT resulted in humanitarian needs and protection concerns. The root causes of people’s suffering and vulnerability have been driven by the impacts of long-term policies linked to the occupation, recurring conflict, internal political divisions and a halt to the Middle East peace process.

In the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2005, when the UN started to systematically record casualties. There was also a continuation of Israeli settlement activity, loss of land, movement restrictions, property destruction, and restricted access to basic services and livelihoods. In August, the escalation of hostilities in Gaza between Palestinian armed groups and the Israeli military heightened risks and deepened vulnerabilities, especially those of young people, generating new humanitarian needs. Of an estimated 5.2 million Palestinians, 2.1 million needed assistance, 63 per cent of whom lived in Gaza. Vulnerable families struggled to cope with poverty, food insecurity, unemployment and inadequate access to essential services, such as health care, education, and water and sanitation.

The OCHA-managed OPT Humanitarian Fund allocated more than $21 million to 57 projects to support life-sustaining activities, such as emergency food assistance, shelter rehabilitation, water and sanitation, and the pandemic response.

OCHA helped identify key response priorities, particularly during the escalation of conflict in Gaza in August, and in the West Bank during unrest in April. Due to rising tensions in the West Bank, OCHA dedicated its efforts to increasing preparedness, identifying blockages in communities’ access to services and re-engaging in access negotiations.

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