Palestine: Humanitarian

Domestic

While a ceasefire is technically in place, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. Winter storms have flooded and destroyed thousands of shelters, displacing people and killing at least 24 from the cold. Aid agencies report the blockade continues to severely restrict essential supplies, and the UN warns removing rubble could take up to seven years. Reports indicate violence has not fully stopped, with dozens of Palestinians reportedly killed since the truce began. In the occupied West Bank, aid groups report a sharp increase in violence and forced displacement, with the UN stating over 12,000 Palestinian children have been displaced by recent raids and warning of a 'systematic asphyxiation' of Palestinian rights. Separately, activists from Palestine Action ended long-term hunger strikes in jail after their health deteriorated.

International

Israel faces widespread international criticism for its continued actions in Gaza, including ordering major international aid groups like Doctors Without Borders to stop their work and maintaining tight restrictions on supplies. Israeli strikes on one of the deadliest days since the truce killed 11 people, including three journalists and two children, leading to renewed accusations of genocide from UN experts and others. Israeli forces also demolished buildings in a UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem, an action the UN condemned as unprecedented. Multiple UN officials accuse Israel of creating 'apartheid-like' conditions in the West Bank. In response to the crisis, Egypt is running a massive, ongoing aid operation for Gaza, coordinating regular convoys that have delivered thousands of tons of supplies.