Gaza Shows Subtle Signs of Recovery as UN Agencies Work to Meet Aid Needs
UNITED NATIONS, October 23 (IPS) – Since the declaration of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 10, families in the Gaza Strip have begun returning to previously inaccessible areas, as humanitarian organizations work to scale up aid operations to meet growing needs on the ground even amid security risks, including unexploded ordnance.
Displacement shelters across the enclave continue to bear the brunt of the crisis, with most severely overcrowded and resources stretched to their limits after two years of conflict. Displacement has surged since the implementation of the ceasefire, with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recording roughly 13,800 displacements toward Gaza City and north Gaza, and approximately 4,100 movements toward the eastern region of the enclave.
As the winter season threatens to exacerbate already harsh living conditions, the United Nations (UN) and its partners are working to expand winterization support through the distribution of makeshift tents, warm clothing, hygiene kits, blankets, and other essential bedding materials. A spokesperson for OCHA stated that winterization support is currently limited by the number of humanitarian deliveries that have been authorized by Israeli authorities, with only a select few UN agencies and partner organizations receiving clearance.
“We need thousands of trucks getting in every day, we need all the crossings open, and we need the bureaucratic obstacles lifted,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Aid must never be a bargaining chip, we shouldn’t have to ask for access, we shouldn’t have to make deals to make aid go through.”
As of October 19, the UN and its partners have collected over 10,638 metric tons of essential humanitarian supplies from the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings through the UN2720 mechanism. Between October 17 and 19, humanitarian groups have offloaded over 6,455 pallets of aid–two thirds of which being food and a fifth being water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies.
Concurrently, UN partners working on a food security assessment in the enclave reported that food parcels have been distributed across more than two dozen locations in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, reaching over 15,000 families. The parcels include essential items that Gazans have been deprived of for months—such as rice, lentils, beans, tomato paste, and sunflower oil.
Humanitarian groups have also prepared and distributed more than 944,000 meals through 178 community kitchens, marking an increase of over 286,000 daily meals compared to three weeks ago. The UN and its partners are now working to expand distribution points to improve accessibility and ensure that families can access food closer to their homes.
On October 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that it had transported four pallets of essential medical supplies from its southern warehouse to health facilities across the enclave, including medications for diabetes, chronic illnesses, infections, malnutrition, and pain management. Another UN partner agency also delivered reproductive health kits to patients in southern Gaza, assisting more than 8,300 people. Additionally, 1,500 postpartum kits were distributed to Al Awda Nuseirat Hospital to support maternal health services for the next three months.
That same day, Australian philanthropic organization Minderoo Foundation announced its pledge of AUD 10 million to humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Minderoo’s founder, Dr. Andrew Forrest, said that this pledge would have an “urgent focus on care environments for Palestinian children and the huge psycho-social needs caused by the war.”
“This is more than a donation: it’s a vote of confidence in the lifesaving work of the United Nations and our partners, and in humanity’s ability to act when it matters most,” said Fletcher. “Dr Forrest and the Minderoo Foundation are helping us scale up in response to the ceasefire. We will match their commitment with every ounce of effort to get food, water, medicine, shelter and dignity to families in Gaza.”
Maternal and newborn health has suffered dramatically without essential food and health supplies, with 11,500 pregnant women facing catastrophic starvation conditions. Addressing this in the immediate sense, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) have brought in aid through the Kerem Shalom crossing and distributed medical supplies including incubators and fetal monitoring machines. UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Andrew Saberton told reporters on October 22 that much more assistance was waiting at the borders, such as supplies for safe births and hygiene items, and this would require all border crossings to be opened and for all impediments to be removed to bring aid into the north and south of Gaza.
“Looking ahead to recovery, we need to restore Gaza’s healthcare and protection services for women and girls. This means rebuilding maternity wards for the 130 births that happen every day,” said Saberton.
Despite ongoing humanitarian efforts, the security situation in Gaza remains highly volatile, with experts underscoring continued hostilities and vast amounts of explosives on the ground that pose daily threats to thousands of Palestinians. On October 21, Luke David Irving, Chief of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, told reporters that the agency has identified more than 560 explosive remnants of war in areas now accessible to civilians, emphasizing that “the full extent of contamination in Gaza will not be known until a comprehensive survey can take place.”
As of October 21, UNMAS has recorded approximately 328 fatalities as a direct result of contact with explosive ordnance, noting that the true number is projected to be much higher. According to Irving, these risks are projected to exacerbate as recovery and reconstruction efforts begin, with increased movement setting off ordnance hidden in rubble.
It is estimated that 50 to 60 million tons of debris may have been contaminated with explosive ordnance over the past two years. Irving stated that UNMAS has reached over 460,000 people with risk-education services, including communities in displacement shelters and health facilities, and has produced over 400,000 informational materials, including flyers and stickers. Irving also stressed the need for increased funding for clearance efforts, estimating that over 14 million to 15 million USD will be needed to continue operations for the next six months.
IPS UN Office Report
© Inter Press Service (20251023172150) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service
