United Nations in Palestine

The UN and its partners in Palestine are working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: 17 interconnected Goals which address the major development challenges faced by people in Palestine and around the world. These are the goals the UN is working on in Palestine:

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06 November 2024

Intolerable conditions in northern Gaza ‘beyond imagination’

During his first visit to the area since Israel launched its latest military operation in the north a month ago. Muhannad Hadi spoke to UN News from the Al-Mamouniya School in Gaza City run by the UN agency that assists Palestine refugee, UNRWA.Like the rest of UNRWA’s schools that are still standing as war continues, it now serves as a shelter for displaced people seeking safety in the besieged enclave where nowhere is safe.An ‘unbearable’ situation“This is not a place for humans to survive,” he said. “This must end. This misery must end. This war must end. This is beyond imagination.”Mr. Hadi stated that what he saw was “very different” from what he saw in northern Gaza in September.“At this school, I have seen families and people living on top of each other. It is unbearable here. I can't imagine how those people are surviving,” he said.“There were 500 people in this school in September, and now there are more than 1,500 people. There is no access to bathroom. There are shortages of food. The situation is unbearable. Sewage water is everywhere. Waste is everywhere. The place has garbage everywhere.” ‘Just water and lentils’From a window on the second floor of the damaged school, mountains of garbage can be seen piling up in the yard – a symbol of the immense health hazards and harsh conditions that the people inside face. Critical supplies including food are scarce in northern Gaza. As Mr. Hadi walked around the school, whose structure had been damaged by the bombing, he met a man who was preparing lentil soup for his family.Mr. Hadi was told that the lentils had been provided by UNRWA and that the small pot the man carried was supposed to feed 12 people. "It's just water and lentils; no garlic or onions,” he remarked, noting that “one chili pepper pod costs 10 shekels today."‘We want to have fun’The senior UN official also visited a temporary learning space called Al-Nayzak on Al-Jalaa Street. Tents have been set up on the destroyed thoroughfare to provide a minimum education and a safe place for local children to deal with the horrors they have endured since the war erupted last October.At the temporary school, 11 teachers - men and women - provide courses in Arabic, English, maths, science and psychosocial support to 510 students.Mr. Hadi played with young children, aged between three and five years old. Many were supposed to be in kindergarten, but the war has deprived them of the opportunity to learn in real classrooms. He met a girl who said she lost her parents and home in the war, and now lives with her cousins who have also become orphans. Her school used to be located near the Al-Nayzak learning space, but like most schools in Gaza it was destroyed by shelling.The girl told him that they cook rice at home when given the opportunity, but often rely on humanitarian organizations to provide them with meals. When Mr. Hadi asked her what she wanted to do when the war ended, she replied, "We want to have fun and enjoy ourselves, and go where we want to go."The top UN humanitarian official also visited the headquarters of the Atfaluna Association for Deaf Children, where students taught him sign language.The association provides lessons in English, Arabic, maths, science, physical education and the arts to 35 children, some of whom are learning how to deal with their new disability after losing their hearing due to heavy shelling.Stop the warMr. Hadi told UN News that he had heard horrific stories from people he met in northern Gaza and stressed the need to stop the war. “What people are going through here, no one can tolerate. Those are the victims of this war. Those are the ones who are paying the price for this war - those children around me here, the women, elderly,” he said.The heads of 15 UN and international humanitarian organizations recently affirmed that “the entire Palestinian population in North Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence.”The officials said humanitarian workers were not safe to do their work, and that Israeli forces and insecurity prevented them from reaching those in need.Since the war began in October 2023, more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed and 100,000 injured, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. The UN estimates that more than 1.9 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes within the enclave, many of whom have fled from one unsafe place to another multiple times.

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05 November 2024

Aid restrictions and dismantling UNRWA will compound Gazans’ suffering

highlighting the continued need for its lifesaving work even as Israel moves to end its activities. The Israeli Parliament, known as the Knesset, recently approved two laws banning UNRWA from operating in its territory and prohibiting officials from having any contact with the agency. Israel has officially informed the President of the UN General Assembly of the adoption of the new legislation. The letter says all cooperation with the agency will cease after 90 days. Record low aidUNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on Monday that last month, Israel allowed a daily average of 30 humanitarian trucks into Gaza, which is only six per cent of the commercial and humanitarian supplies allowed in before the war.“This is the lowest in a long time, bringing the assistance back to the level of the beginning of the war,” he wrote on the social media platform X.“This cannot meet the needs of over two million people, many of whom are starving, sick and in desperate conditions.”A lifeline for millionsHe said that “meanwhile, UNRWA continues to distribute whatever is allowed in.”Staff have provided food aid to more than 1.9 million Gazans since the war erupted last October, while hundreds of thousands in and around its shelters have received basic supplies.The UN agency is also the largest primary healthcare provider in the enclave, and its teams have provided over six million medical consultations.Mr. Lazzarini stressed that much more aid must be allowed into Gaza, including through UNRWA, the largest humanitarian organization and service provider there.“Restricting humanitarian access and at the same time dismantling UNRWA will add an additional layer of suffering to already unspeakable suffering. Only political will can put an end to a politically made situation,” he said.‘No alternative’ to UNRWAIn an earlier tweet, Mr. Lazzarini focused on how UNRWA also educates scores of young Palestinians.He said children and their education are not featured in discussions by “experts” or politicians as debate intensifies on replacing the agency.“Why? Because in the absence of a functioning State, there is no alternative,” he said.Until last October, over 300,000 boys and girls in Gaza – half of all schoolchildren there – attended UNRWA schools, and they are now losing out on a second year of studies.Nearly 50,000 children in the West Bank also go to UNRWA schools.Potential dire consequencesMr. Lazzarini explained that UNRWA is the only UN agency that directly provides education in UN schools. The agency runs the only system in the region that includes a human rights programme following UN standards and values.“Dismantling UNRWA in the absence of a viable alternative will deprive Palestinian children of learning in the foreseeable future,” he said.“Without learning, children slip into hopelessness, poverty and radicalization. Without learning, children fall prey into exploitation including joining armed groups. Without learning, this region will remain unstable and volatile,” he warned.He said that instead of focusing on banning UNRWA or finding alternatives, attention should be on reaching an agreement to end the conflict.Deadly weekend for childrenIn the interim, the fighting continues to exact a heavy toll on young lives across the Gaza Strip.UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Saturday that more than 50 boys and girls were killed in strikes in Jabalya, North Gaza, over the previous two days.The personal vehicle of one of its staff members working on the mass campaign to vaccinate young children against polio also came under fire while she was driving, causing damage.Additionally, at least three children were reportedly injured by another attack in the proximity of a vaccination clinic in Sheikh Radwan, while a polio vaccination campaign was underway.Risks in the northUNICEF chief Catherine Russell said these attacks are yet further examples of the grave consequences of the indiscriminate strikes on civilians in Gaza.“Attacks on civilians, including humanitarian workers, and what remains of Gaza’s civilian facilities and infrastructure must stop,” she said. Moreover, she warned that “the entire Palestinian population in North Gaza, especially children, is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine, and the ongoing bombardments.”

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04 November 2024

Strike hits health centre as polio vaccine campaign resumes in ravaged north

even as reports emerged that one vaccination centre had been hit during a humanitarian pause, according to UN agencies on the ground.Hours after the campaign rolled out, reports indicated that a healthcare centre in the north had been hit, injuring six people, including four children, in a location where a humanitarian pause had been in place, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) chief.“We have received an extremely concerning report that the Sheikh Radwan primary healthcare centre in northern Gaza was struck today while parents were bringing their children to the lifesaving polio vaccination in an area where a humanitarian pause was agreed to allow vaccination to proceed, ” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a social media post.He said a WHO team was at the site just before.“This attack, during humanitarian pause, jeopardises the sanctity of health protection for children and may deter parents from bringing their children for vaccination,” he said. “These vital humanitarian-area-specific pauses must be absolutely respected.”Campaign unrolls despite challenges“To overcome challenges posed by the volatile security situation and constant population movement, robust micro plans have been developed to ensure the campaign is responsive to the significant population shifts and displacement in the north following the first round in September,” the UN agencies for health, WHO, and for children, UNICEF, said in a statement.UN organizations and partners began phase one in September and have had more than 200 teams on stand-by since 23 October to unroll the campaign’s final round, which had been delayed by constant Israeli airstrikes, clashes on the ground and no assurances of the required humanitarian pauses to stop the fighting during the delivery of the vaccines.Polio had been eradicated in the Gaza Strip 25 years ago, but the ongoing war triggered multiple health crises, with a 10-month-old being diagnosed with the paralysing virus earlier this year, prompting health officials to organize a campaign in the war-torn Israeli-occupied territory.Restrictions persistThe campaign will be delivered by 216 teams across 106 fixed sites, 22 of which have been added to ensure increased availability of vaccination in areas where recently displaced people are seeking refuge, according to UN agencies. There will also be 209 social “mobilisers” deployed to engage communities and raise awareness around vaccination efforts, they explained.However, the agencies warned that health workers will not be able to reach all of the children who require a final dose of the vaccine.“The final phase of the campaign had aimed to reach an estimated 119,000 children under 10 years old in northern Gaza with a second dose of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), however, achieving this target is now unlikely due to access constraints,” the agencies warned.Despite the lack of access to all eligible children in northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza, which includes the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA and partners, decided to resume the campaign.The plan aims to mitigate the risk of a long delay in reaching as many children as possible with polio vaccines and the opportunity to vaccinate those recently evacuated to Gaza City from other parts of the northern Strip.Extended humanitarian pausesThe time period for the humanitarian pauses has been extended by two hours and is expected to run from 6am to 4pm daily, WHO and UNICEF said. As in the first two phases, vitamin A will also be co-administered to children between age two and 10 in the north to help boost overall immunity.The campaign in northern Gaza follows the successful implementation of the first two phases of the second round in central and southern Gaza, which reached 451,216 children – 96 per cent of the target in these areas.A total of 364,306 children aged between 2 and 10 years have received vitamin A so far in this round.Regional impactTo interrupt poliovirus transmission, at least 90 per cent of all children in every community and neighbourhood must be vaccinated, which will be challenging to achieve given the situation, the agencies said.A delay in administering a second dose of nOPV2 within six weeks reduces the impact of two closely spaced rounds, decreasing immunity, according to the UN health agency.WHO has also cautioned that having a significant number of children miss out on their second vaccine dose seriously jeopardises efforts to stop the transmission of the virus and could also lead to further cases in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring countries.

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30 October 2024

UNRWA cannot be replaced, say UN top officials in response to Knesset ban

insisting that if implemented, the Israeli parliament’s decision to ban it would only deepen suffering in Gaza.Echoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s warning late Monday that the development would likely have “devastating consequences” as UNRWA is the principal deliverer of aid relief inside the war-torn enclave, UN human rights chief Volker Türk called the Knesset move “deeply troubling for many reasons”.In Geneva, spokesperson for the UN human rights office (OHCHR) Jeremy Laurence said that the High Commissioner had pointed to the “potential dire impact” on the rights of all those who depend on the UN Relief and Works Agency.“Without UNRWA, the delivery of food, healthcare, education, among other things, to most of Gaza”s population, would grind to a halt,” he said. “Civilians have already paid the heaviest price of this conflict over the past year. Truly, this decision will only make matters worse for them, far worse.”The OHCHR spokesperson reiterated previous concerns “about Israel’s compliance with international law” with regard to its intense bombardment of Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, according to the local authorities. Mr. Laurence also highlighted that Israel remained bound by its obligations “under a range of human rights treaties”, including the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights. ‘Intolerable’ move, says TedrosAfter Monday’s reported 92-10 vote by Knesset members in favour of two bills targeting UNRWA, head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called the development “intolerable”, while also “threatening the lives and health" of all those who depend on UNRWA.Around one in four UNRWA staff in Gaza is a health worker carrying out routine but lifesaving work, noted WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic. They “basically provided more than six million medical consultations last year in the health centres that are run by UN and they have been providing these consultations for more than half of Gaza population,” he said.These health teams are responsible for the routine immunization of children including for polio and screening for disease and malnutrition, the WHO spokesperson explained. “So, really, if you think that 3,000 of their staff are health workers, it’s really unmatched; it could be it couldn't be matched by any agency, including WHO,” he said.Convoys ‘denied or impeded’After more than a year of intense Israeli bombardment, sparked on 7 October 2023 by Hamas’s deadly rampage in Israel, Gaza’s devastated communities continue to suffer from insufficient outside help. “Out of 25 requests for missions this month, only seven of them managed to take place, others were either denied or were impeded,” Mr. Jasarevic said. The WHO official noted that as long as there was no agreement on humanitarian pauses, “it is difficult to imagine to have this second round of polio vaccination” in northern Gaza. From the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, spokesperson Jens Laerke stressed the need to keep diplomatic avenues open, for the sake of millions of Palestinians helped by UNRWA across the Occupied Palestinian Territories. “We are trying to not have an implementation of this [Knesset vote],” he said, adding that if the bills became law, they would “add to the acts of collective punishment” by Israel on Gazans.Catherine Russell, head of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), defended the crucial role of UNRWA in delivering aid to Palestinian children and families and warned that the youngsters’ “lives and futures” were at stake.UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told journalists in Geneva that without UNRWA, the humanitarian system in Gaza would likely collapse and the UN Children’s Fund “would become effectively unable to distribute lifesaving supplies here. I’m talking vaccines. I’m talking winter clothes. I’m talking hygiene kits, health kits, water and sanitation” and lifesaving support for malnourished youngsters facing famine. “So, a decision such as this suddenly means that a new way has been found to kill children,” he said of the Knesset vote.

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29 October 2024

Israeli Knesset vote on UNRWA set to deepen Palestinian suffering

violates Israel’s obligations under international law, and sets a dangerous precedent, the head of the Agency, Philippe Lazzarini has warned. The UN chief pledged later he would take the issue to the General Assembly.“This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees,” Mr. Lazzarini said in a post on X, following reports of the long-anticipated vote being taken by Knesset members, passing by a margin on 92-10.Mr. Lazzarini added that the two bills which will reportedly come into effect within 90 days “will only deepen the suffering” of Palestinians, especially in Gaza where people have been going through “more than a year of sheer hell”.“These bills increase the suffering of the Palestinians and are nothing less than collective punishment,” he said.The UN Secretary-General issued a statement in New York late on Monday warning that if implemented the laws would "likely prevent UNRWA from continuing it's essential work."António Guterres stressed UNRWA provided the principal way of delivering aid and it would have "devastating consequences" were Israel to outlaw the agency."I am bringing this matter to the attention of the UN General Assembly and weill keep the Assembly closely informed as the situation develops," Mr. Guterres said. Virtually the entire population of the Gaza Strip depends on humanitarian assistance, with UNRWA as the “backbone” of UN’s relief efforts in the war-ravaged enclave.In addition to helping deliver food and other lifesaving essentials, UNRWA is also crucial for overseeing the ongoing polio vaccination drive.No alternative to UNRWAUNRWA’s importance has been reiterated by several countries as well as UN’s leadership, including the Secretary-General, who has described the agency’s historic and leading humanitarian role as “irreplaceable”.Mr. Lazzarini further stated that putting an end to UNRWA and its services “will not strip the Palestinians from their refugee status”.“That status is protected by another UN General Assembly resolution until a fair and lasting solution is found to the plight of the Palestinians,” he said.“Failing to push back these bills will weaken our common multilateral mechanism established after World War Two,” he added.UNRWA was established by the General Assembly in December 1949 “to carry out […] direct relief and works programmes” for Palestine refugees. It began its operations on 1 May 1950.'Dangerous and outrageous'In a post on X, the acting head of UN aid coordination office, OCHA, expressed her teams' "full solidarity with UNRWA...whose work is essential to millions of Palestinians."Joyce Msuya added that the decision was "dangerous and outrageous. There is no alternative to UNRWA."Many world leaders expressed their grave concern over the ramifications of the move by Israeli parliamentarians, including nations of the European Union, the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and a Spokesperson for the State Department in Washington.

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28 October 2024

UN chief ‘shocked’ at harrowing death and destruction in north Gaza

amid an ongoing intense Israeli military operation, his Spokesperson said on Sunday.Since the offensive began earlier this month, hundreds of people have been killed, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, with more than 60,000 others displaced again, many fearing they may never return.Civilians are reportedly trapped under rubble, while the sick and wounded lack access to life-saving care. They also face severe shortages of food and shelter, amid reports of family separations and mass detentions.“The plight of Palestinian civilians trapped in North Gaza is unbearable,” read a statement from the UN chief’s Spokesperson.Mr. Guterres warned that the “widespread devastation and deprivation” caused by Israel’s military operations – particularly around Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun – have made life “untenable” for the Palestinian population there.Despite repeated efforts to deliver essential humanitarian supplies, including food, medicine, and shelter, access continues to be denied by Israeli authorities, with few exceptions, putting countless lives in jeopardy.Adding to the crisis, the postponement of the final phase of the polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza has endangered thousands of children.Little regard for international law“This conflict continues to be waged with little regard for the requirements of international humanitarian law,” the statement noted.Mr. Guterres emphasised that the parties to the conflict must respect and protect civilians, including humanitarian workers and first responders, whose essential work must be facilitated and protected, not impeded and jeopardized.“In the name of humanity, the Secretary-General reiterates his calls for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and accountability for crimes under international law,” the statement concluded.Catastrophic situationOn Saturday, other top UN officials echoed the urgent calls for a halt to Israel's military actions in northern Gaza.Joyce Msuya, acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, warned that the entire population of northern Gaza is “at risk of dying”, calling for an immediate stop to “blatant disregard for basic humanity” by Israeli forces.Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as “catastrophic”, highlighting the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system amid ongoing attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers, calling for an immediate ceasefire to save lives.

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28 October 2024

‘Entire population of north Gaza at risk of dying,’ warns UN’s top humanitarian official

calling for an immediate stop to “blatant disregard for basic humanity” by Israeli forces.“What Israeli forces are doing in besieged north Gaza cannot be allowed to continue,” said Joyce Msuya, acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, in a statement posted on the social media platform X.Hospitals have been hit, health workers detained and first responders prevented from rescuing people trapped under the rubble, she noted.“Shelters have been emptied and burned down…families have been separated, and men and boys taken away by the truckload,” she added.According to reports, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since Israeli security forces renewed their offensive in northern Gaza earlier this month. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced again.“The entire population of north Gaza is at risk of dying,” Ms. Msuya warned.“Such blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war must stop.”Siege ends at key hospital ‘at heavy cost’The head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) also voiced deep concern over the situation, highlighting the severe impact on healthcare.In a post on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as “catastrophic”.“Intensive military operations unfolding around and within healthcare facilities and a critical shortage of medical supplies, compounded by severely limited access, are depriving people of life saving care,” he said.He also noted that the Gazan health ministry informed WHO that the siege at Kamal Adwan Hospital – one of the last minimally functioning hospitals in the north – has ended, “but it came at a heavy cost.”Following the detention of 44 male staff members, only female staff, the hospital director and one male doctor are left to care for nearly 200 patients in desperate need of medical attention.Protect hospitals at all timesReports that hospital facilities and medical supplies were damaged or destroyed during the siege are deplorable, Mr. Tedros said.“The whole health system in Gaza has been under attack for over a year. WHO cannot stress loudly enough that hospitals must be shielded from conflict at all times. Any attack of healthcare facilities is a violation of international humanitarian law.”He added that the only path to safeguard “what remains of Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system” is through an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.“Lives depend on it!” he stressed.

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24 October 2024

Israeli strikes delay polio vaccine campaign in the north

The UN health agency said pauses in the bombardment are key.“Humanitarian pauses are essential for its success, allowing partners to deliver vaccination supplies to health facilities, families to safely access vaccination sites and mobile teams of health workers to reach children in their communities,” WHO said.But, due to the escalating violence, intense bombardment, mass displacement orders, and lack of assured humanitarian pauses across most of northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza was forced to postpone the third and final phase of its campaign, which was set to begin today.In a post on X, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was very concerned about the postponement, saying any outbreak must be contained before any more young lives are destroyed by the virus. This final phase aimed to vaccinate 119,279 children across northern Gaza, organized by the committee, which includes the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) and partners.Besieged and bombardedRight now, 400,000 people are trapped in the north, facing Israel Defense Forces (IDF) evacuation orders and constant bombardment in the ongoing year-long war, which began following Hamas-led deadly attacks on Israel and the capture of 250 hostages, more than 100 of which remain in Gaza.On Tuesday, UNRWA, WHO and other UN agencies asked Israeli authorities for immediate access to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid.The UN health agency said the current conditions, including ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure continue to jeopardise people’s safety and movement in northern Gaza, making it impossible for families to safely bring their children for vaccination, and health workers to operate.Campaign ready to begin“It is imperative to stop the polio outbreak as soon as possible, before more children are paralysed and poliovirus spreads further,” WHO said.“It is crucial therefore that the vaccination campaign in northern Gaza is facilitated through the implementation of the humanitarian pauses, ensuring access for wherever eligible children are located.”WHO and UNICEF urged all parties to ensure that civilians, health workers, and civilian infrastructure, such as schools, shelters, hospitals, are protected and renew their call for an immediate ceasefire.To date, all logistics, supplies and trained human resources were prepared to vaccinate children across northern Gaza with a second dose of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) following a first round conducted across the Gaza Strip from 1 to 12 September 2024.However, given that the area currently approved for temporary humanitarian pauses was substantially reduced and are now limited only to Gaza City, a significant decrease from the first round, many children in northern Gaza would have missed out on the polio vaccine dose.Polio returns to GazaAfter eradicating the disease a quarter of a century ago, Gaza reported its first case of polio earlier this year, one of the consequences of the year-long war and besiegement of the Strip, which has seen restricted aid delivery, damage and restrictions for access to critical water and sanitation services and over-crowding in makeshift shelters driven by repeated Israeli evacuation orders.This prompted a swift response by WHO and partners to unroll a campaign across the devastated Strip.To interrupt poliovirus transmission and its spread, at least 90 per cent of all children in every community and neighborhood must be vaccinated. Polio causes paralysis and other grave symptoms and can spread rapidly.A delay in administering a second dose of nOPV2 within six weeks reduces the impact of two closely spaced rounds, decreasing immunity. Delay could threaten regionHaving a significant number of children miss out on their second vaccine dose will seriously jeopardise efforts to stop the transmission of the virus, the UN health agency stressed, adding that it could also lead to further cases in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring countries.Since the rollout of the second round of the polio campaign in Gaza on 14 October, 442,855 children under age 10 have been successfully vaccinated in Gaza's central and southern areas - 94 per cent of the target in these areas.A total of 357,802 children between two and 10 received vitamin A supplements as part of efforts to integrate the delivery of polio vaccine with other essential health services in Gaza.

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23 October 2024

War has set Palestine’s development back nearly 70 years

“Without lifting economic restrictions, enabling recovery, and investing in development, the Palestinian economy may not be able to restore pre-war levels and advance forward by relying on humanitarian aid alone,” Gaza war: Expected socioeconomic impacts on the State of Palestine, concludes, produced by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA).The analysis suggests three recovery scenarios for Palestine. Given that the recovery will be a long-term process, the report assessed both the immediate impact projected for 2025 and the long-term impact anticipated by 2034, a decade after the start of the conflict.“Our assessments serve to sound the alarm over the millions of lives that are being shattered and the decades of development efforts that are being wiped out,” said ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti.“It is high time to end the suffering and bloodshed that have engulfed our region. We must unite to find a lasting solution where all peoples can live in peace, dignity and reap the benefit of sustainable development and where international law and justice are finally upheld.”Projections estimate that the gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by 35.1 per cent in 2024 compared with a no-war scenario, with unemployment potentially rising to 49.9 per cent.Three recovery scenariosBuilding on findings published in November and May, the report estimates that poverty in Palestine will rise to 74.3 per cent in 2024, affecting 4.1 million people, including 2.61 million people who are newly impoverished.The assessment also examines the extent and depth of deprivation, employing multidimensional poverty indicators and includes recovery prospects for Palestine after a ceasefire is reached as well as three early recovery scenarios.The non-restricted early recovery scenario sees restrictions on Palestinian workers lifted and withheld clearance revenues restored to the Palestinian Authority.In addition to $280 million in humanitarian aid, $290 million is allocated annually for recovery efforts, resulting in an increase in productivity by one per cent annually, enabling the economy to recover and putting Palestinian development back on track.Unrestricted aid can helpThe assessment suggests that a comprehensive recovery and reconstruction plan, combining humanitarian aid with strategic investments in recovery and reconstruction along with lifting economic restrictions, could help put the Palestinian economy back on track to realign with Palestinian development plans by 2034.But, this scenario can only play out if recovery efforts are unrestricted, said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner.“Projections in this new assessment confirm that amidst the immediate suffering and horrific loss of life, a serious development crisis is also unfolding – one that jeopardises the future of Palestinians for generations to come,” he said.“The assessment indicates that, even if humanitarian aid is provided each year, the economy may not regain its pre-crisis level for a decade or more."As conditions on the ground allow, he said, the Palestinian people need a robust early recovery strategy embedded in the humanitarian assistance phase, laying foundations for a sustainable recovery.Humanitarian situation deterioratingThe humanitarian situation is catastrophic and deteriorating daily, said UNDP's Chitose Noguchi, briefing reporters in Geneva from Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, where many displaced people are currently living.“The State of Palestine is experiencing an unprecedented setback in development to the year 1955,” she said.“Restrictions that are currently stifling the economy must be lifted,” she stressed, underlining the new assessment conclusion’s importance for the region. Currently, assessments are being conducted in Lebanon and Syria.Read the full report here.

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23 October 2024

‘The smell of death is everywhere’ in northern Gaza, UNRWA chief says

The head of UN Palestine refugee agency Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X: UNRWA staff report that they cannot find food, water or medical care.‘Just waiting to die’“The smell of death is everywhere as bodies are left lying on the roads or under the rubble. Missions to clear the bodies or provide humanitarian assistance are denied,” he said.“In northern Gaza, people are just waiting to die. They feel deserted, hopeless and alone. They live from one hour to the next, fearing death at every second.”Let families leaveMr. Lazzarini said that throughout the war, some staff stayed in the north and “did the impossible” to support internally displaced people.Some UNRWA shelters were kept open despite heavy bombardments and attacks on the agency’s buildings.“On behalf of our staff in northern Gaza, I am calling for an immediate truce, even if for few hours, to enable safe humanitarian passage for families who wish to leave the area and reach safer places,” he said.“This is the bare minimum to save the lives of civilians who have nothing to do with this conflict.”The UN and partners estimate that more than 60,000 people have been displaced from North Gaza governorate to Gaza City. Within North Gaza, about 4,000 people have fled from Jabalia to Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahya, with still others displaced within Gaza itself. Trapped under rubbleThe UN humanitarian aid office, OCHA, is reporting that for five days, people have been trapped under the rubble in the Falouja area of Jabalia.“Our urgent plea to go and help them has been repeatedly denied by Israeli authorities,” said OCHA’s Gloria Lazic, who is in Gaza.More than 40 people from three families are reportedly trapped “and we don't know if we finally get this approval how many will still be alive,” she said, stressing that “every minute counts”. Step up aid, improve security: UN envoyMeanwhile, UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland was in Gaza on Tuesday where he saw firsthand the continued destruction and profound suffering of the people.Mr. Wennesland had meetings with UN staff and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who told him about the alarming security and humanitarian situation across the enclave, especially in the north.He said the challenges faced by the people of Gaza, including serious violations of international humanitarian law, are enormous, highlighting the urgent need for food, medical supplies and protection.“A significant increase in the entry of humanitarian assistance and an improvement in security is urgently required,” he said.The envoy reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s repeated call for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.“I call on all relevant parties to urgently pursue these goals,” he said. “Gaza is an integral part of Palestine. Ultimately, the solution for Gaza is political.” ‘Horrific’ health situationThe Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) also added his voice to the call for a ceasefire.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the health situation in the north as “horrific”, with precarious access to essential care.WHO and partners transferred 14 critical patients and 11 companions from Kamal Adwan Hospital southward to Al-Shifa Hospital on Monday as part of a two-day mission.The transfers were carried out amid hostilities and access restrictions. As a result, the team was forced to stay at Kamal Adwan overnight due to the intense fighting.Delays and denials“This was a fourth attempt to reach Kamal Adwan,” Tedros said. “Despite an initial agreement, the delivery of critical medical supplies, blood, and fuel, which are essential for keeping Kamal Adwan Hospital operational, were denied just a few hours before the mission departure.”Tedros reported that healthcare continues to be attacked and hospitals starved of supplies and fuel. At the same time, consistent mission delays and denials severely compromise WHO’s ability to regularly reach health facilities.“We urge for a sustained and safe humanitarian access,” he said, calling for a ceasefire now.Challenges to healthcareHumanitarian partners working in the health sector report that communications challenges are hampering efforts to gather information on conditions at the other medical facilities in North Gaza, namely the Indonesian and Al Awda hospitals. UNRWA noted that none of its medical points in the north are operational, and although teams are ready, they urgently need medical supplies to be able to provide care.

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Press Release

21 October 2024

UN Human Rights Office is concerned over the potential destruction of the Palestinian population in north Gaza

For two weeks since 6 October, the Israeli military has taken measures that make life in North Gaza impossible for Palestinians while repeatedly ordering the displacement of the entire governorate. Israeli authorities prevented the entry of all essential supplies to North Gaza between 1 and 14 October, exacerbating the already dire situation under which food and fuel supplies to the north were dwindling, and many were facing starvation. After 15 October, a token amount of aid seems to have entered the North, but this does not commensurate with the needs of the population.While the Israeli military has demanded that all civilians leave North Gaza, it has continued to relentlessly bomb and attack the area, especially in and around Jabalya Camp. These attacks have made it extremely dangerous for civilians to flee, and the UN Human Rights Office has received reports over the last weeks of Palestinians targeted while fleeing. Many Palestinians in the North have also expressed fears that should they flee; they will never be allowed to return to their homes in North Gaza. Israeli troops have also destroyed residential buildings and attacked schools serving as shelters, resulting in numerous civilian casualties and further limiting available shelter as winter approaches. One strike on a residential block in Beit Lahiya on 19 October killed at least 87 Palestinians according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Keeping with the trend in this escalation, many of the casualties appear to be children and women.The Israeli military’s resumed attacks on two of the three main hospitals in North Gaza put even more pressure on the civilian population. All three hospitals, already damaged in previous IDF attacks, are also struggling with shortages of supplies and fuel. Rescue teams and medics continue to report restrictions and direct and indirect attacks by the Israeli military, hindering lifesaving operations, including the recovery of Palestinians trapped under rubble. Internet services in North Gaza have been disrupted since 19 October, and at least 3 Palestinian journalists were killed in the last 2 weeks, limiting the available information about the conditions of life in North Gaza.Reports also indicate that tens of Palestinian men are being taken into custody by the IDF, raising fears that they may be subjected to arbitrary detention as well as torture and other ill-treatment, especially considering previous violations documented by the UN Human Rights Office. Israel must promptly announce the identity of all those taken into custody and ensure their access to their lawyers and families.We reiterate that all parties must respect and protect civilians. Palestinian armed groups must refrain from deliberately co-locating military objectives and civilians or civilian objects and must take all feasible precautions to protect the civilian population and civilian objects under their control against the effects of attacks. Even where Palestinian armed groups have failed to comply with these norms of IHL, Israeli forces retain their obligations to respect the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack.The UN Human Rights Office reminds the State of Israel of the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice on 26 January 2024 that it take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in Gaza. It also reminds Israel that, as the occupying power, it must ensure the provision of food, medical supplies and shelter for the population of Gaza, as also ordered by the International Court of Justice.

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Press Release

09 September 2024

Defending the Right to Learn: Education in the Face of War

According to UN data, the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip has left 625,000 students completely deprived of their access to education, and 23,000 teachers deprived of the ability to deliver learning adequately. Following 7 October all UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip were closed. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are now using these schools as shelters. About 93 per cent of school buildings are estimated to have sustained some level of damage. At least 84.6 per cent of schools in Gaza will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again.Since the beginning of the war, around 9,000 students and 400 teachers have been killed in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the total number killed is around 76 students and two teachers.Movement restrictions, military operations, and violence have exacerbated a pre-existing education crisis to unprecedented levels, affecting at least 782,000 students across the West Bank. The threats to the right to education for Palestinian students have never been so serious.Attacks on education have serious, long-term physical and psychological repercussions for students and teachers. Formal teaching and learning have been suspended for over an entire school year now, with no indication as to when they may resume, which may lead to a significant increase in dropout rates. Military use and destruction of schools and other educational institutions remain a constant threat, creating significant barriers to learning, and impacting access to quality, equitable, inclusive, and safe education - which is a human right of all children. António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations highlighted “This important day reminds us of the damage of war on young learners’ bodies, minds, and spirits. From injuries and loss of life to abduction, forced displacement, sexual violence, recruitment to the fighting, and lost opportunities, the risks are enormous”.It is crucial to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe environment. We must stand united in safeguarding our educational institutions, promoting peace, and fostering a culture of respect and understanding to provide consistent, safe, and high-quality education to all Palestinian children.We also echo once again the Secretary-General's call for ‘an immediate cessation of hostilities and a sustained ceasefire in Gaza’ and the ‘immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,’ some of whom are also students.

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Press Release

12 August 2024

International Youth Day: Resilience and Humanitarian Action of Palestinian Youth in Times of War

Relentless airstrikes in densely populated areas, forced displacement and staggering deprivation have resulted in the death of almost 40,000 Palestinians- around a quarter of whom are reported to be youth, brutally disrupting the futures of Palestinian youth in Gaza. While 85% of Gaza's schools have incurred various degrees of damage, all universities have been destroyed. As a result, eighty eight thousand university students in Gaza are unable to continue their education. The extensive damage to educational, social, and cultural institutions will have severe, long-term impacts on the future prospects of youth.Despite high levels of educational attainment, youth unemployment rates are high across the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In Gaza, the war has significantly worsened Gaza’s already severe poverty and pervasive unemployment. ILO warns that unemployment rates will continue to rise, limiting the future potential of Palestinian youth.Centering youth in the humanitarian response and building peace in PalestineDespite the risks, youth are taking action as part of the humanitarian response in Palestine. 23-year-old Atta from Gaza, a member of the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) says: “I amplified my voice as a survivor of the war to spread awareness about the innocent civilians living in Gaza, sharing their eagerness for just peace and self-determination.” Palestinian youth contribute to humanitarian action by supporting first-response efforts and delivering food and emergency supplies to displaced people. Youth also provide mental health and psychosocial support to displaced people in shelters. Numerous young Gazan journalists are covering events on the ground, with other young Palestinian influencers raising international awareness online.The UN in Palestine actively supports the meaningful youth engagement. Youth should participate not only as beneficiaries but also as leaders and partners in humanitarian response and peacebuilding. Their visions for a brighter, peaceful, and prosperous future are crucial for rebuilding Gaza, and ultimately achieving lasting peace across the region.This year’s International Youth Day theme, “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development,” marks the innovative spirit of young individuals who leverage digital technologies for humanitarian action and sustainable development. In Gaza, the electricity and connectivity issues mean that youth can hardly access such pathways. For those youth, and their peers in the West Bank, the UN in Palestine will continue to amplify their voices as they continue to strive to pave the way toward a more sustainable world.

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Press Release

31 July 2024

Israel must immediately end practices of forced eviction that threaten to displace more than eighty Palestinian families from their homes in Batn al-Hawa, Silwan, East Jerusalem.

Overall, around 87 Palestinian families, totalling approximately 600-680 individuals, are facing legal proceedings initiated by settlers to evict them from their homes in Batn al-Hawa. On 9 and 10 July, the Jerusalem District Court rejected the appeals of the Gheith, Abu Nab and Al-Rajabi families against eviction rulings in lawsuits submitted by Jewish Israeli settlers demanding the families' eviction. These families live in nine residential units accommodating over 80 Palestinians, including children, women, elders, and residents with special needs.In one example of particular concern, authorities are escalating steps towards the forced eviction of the Shehadeh family - consisting of 15 people, including 8 children – following the Israeli High Court's rejection of a petition appealing a Supreme Court decision of 11 April 2024 that had ordered the Shehadeh family to vacate their four-story home in Batn al-Hawa, Silwan, East Jerusalem, in favour of Jewish Israeli settlers. On 14 July, the family received an eviction notice demanding that they vacate their home within 20 days, at the expiry of which the settlers could have the eviction order enforced.These cases are examples of an ongoing systematic settlers' campaign and application of a range of laws discriminatorily (some dating to the Ottoman and British Mandate periods), including Israel's Absentees' Property Law and the 1970 Legal and Administrative Matters Law, to uproot Palestinians from their homes, take over their property and implant Israeli settlers in the heart of Palestinian neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem. International humanitarian law prohibits Israel from imposing its own laws in occupied territory, which includes the application of Israeli laws to evict Palestinians from their homes. Furthermore, the laws in themselves are inherently discriminatory against Palestinians, in violation of Israel's international human rights obligations.

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