UNRWA Situation Report #115 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem

عربي

26 June 2024

All information from 20-24 June 2024, is valid as of 24 June 2024 at 22:30 

Days 258-262 of Hostilities

Key Points

• Ongoing strikes by Israeli Forces continue, with aerial, land and maritime bombardment across the Gaza Strip. These result in civilian casualties, displacement and the destruction of residential structures and civilian infrastructure. Airstrikes have been especially intense in central Gaza (middle areas), particularly in Bureij, Maghazi and Nuseirat refugee camps and eastern Deir Al Balah. The Israeli Forces’ ground offensive continues to expand, particularly in the southern regions of Gaza City and eastern Rafah, deepening the humanitarian crisis and significantly destabilizing humanitarian aid flows.
• The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on Gaza reports that 96 per cent of the population are facing acute food insecurity at crisis levels or higher, with almost half a million people in catastrophic conditions.  Whilst the new report indicates a slight improvement compared to the previous report in March, predominantly due to a scale up in emergency food and nutrition services, which have helped to reduce the very worst level of hunger.  However, a high risk of famine remains as long as the conflict continues, and humanitarian access is restricted.  UNRWA remains one of the largest food providers in the Gaza Strip with nearly 1.9m people reached with flour or food parcels.
• Access constraints continue to severely hamper the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance and services across Gaza.  Between 1 and 23 June, additional missions did not happen or go as planned. Of the 86 planned coordinated humanitarian assistance missions to northern Gaza, 42 (49 per cent) were facilitated by the Israeli authorities, whilst the remaining 44 (51 per cent) missions were either denied access, impeded and or cancelled for logistical, operational or security reasons.
• The ongoing Israeli military operation in Rafah is directly impacting the ability of aid agencies to bring critical humanitarian supplies into Gaza.  According to OCHA, between 18 and 23 June, three coordinated missions scheduled to pick up aid supplies from the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom Crossing were cancelled due to security concerns, including active hostilities and the collapse of public order and safety along the route designated by the Israeli military for cargo movement between the crossing and central Gaza.
• Furthermore, the operation in Rafah and challenges in retrieving fuel in Kerem Shalom are leading to major fuel shortages, impacting aid operations and the functioning of critical water, sanitation, health and other facilities across the Gaza Strip.  According to OCHA, since the beginning of 2024, only 14 per cent of fuel (diesel and benzene) that used to enter Gaza on a monthly basis prior to October 2023, has been allowed in (2 million vs. 14 million litres), with recent field reports indicating critically low levels of benzene available for distribution.
• UNRWA remains one of the largest health service providers inside Gaza, providing over 40 per cent of the medical points and 15 per cent of all primary healthcare centres, according to the health cluster, reaching almost 170,000 patients per week with health services.  To help mitigate the impact of the health system’s collapse and address growing needs, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and UNRWA are seeking to reactivate some of their services in northern Gaza.  Efforts have begun to clean up the UNRWA Jabaliya Health Centre, which was set on fire during a military operation and will require full rehabilitation to be functional.
• As of 24 June, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since 7 October is 193.

© 2024 UNRWA Photo

UNRWA Jabalia Health Centre before and after been hit. © 2024 UNRWA Photo

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem update will shift to once a week, every Monday. 

• According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 10 June 2024, 521 Palestinians, including 126 children, were killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
• Between 20 and 23 June there were at least 113 recorded Israeli Security Forces (ISF) search and arrest operations across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. More than 80 Palestinians, including Palestine Refugees, were detained by the ISF during this period. Of these, eight were detained in Jalazone camp on 21 June during an ISF search operation in the camp.
• During this period,  four  Palestinians were killed including three  in Qalqiliya in the northern West Bank.  The following day an Israeli man was shot and killed in his vehicle by Palestinians in Qalqiliya, triggering an ISF search operation in the city and  road closures.
• On 22 June, six Palestinians were injured with live ammunition and others detained by the ISF after attempting to enter Jerusalem without permits, in the vicinity of the West Bank Barrier. Movement restrictions preventing Palestinians without Jerusalem identification cards from entering the city have continued  since October 2023.

© 2024 UNRWA Photo

Overall Situation 

The Gaza Strip

• According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, as of 24 June, at least 37,626 Palestinians have been reported killed in the Gaza Strip since 7 October. Another 86,098 Palestinians have been reported injured.

Humanitarian Access, Protection of Civilians 

The Gaza Strip

UNRWA Response

The Gaza Strip