The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has issued its latest situation report, painting a grim picture of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The report, released on 17 April, highlighted the catastrophic impact of the ongoing, total blockade imposed by Israel on the war-ravaged enclave.
Now in its sixth week, the siege has brought already-devastated communities to the brink, cutting off life-saving aid and pushing malnutrition, displacement and infrastructure collapse to unprecedented levels.
According to the report, no humanitarian or commercial supplies have entered Gaza since 2 March. Food, medicine, and fuel are entirely cut off. UNRWA described the current blockade as the worst humanitarian crisis that the Gaza Strip has faced in 18 months since the war began in October 2023, deepening the suffering of civilians already struggling to survive.
Gaza’s residents face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, worsened by a six-week blockade that has halted the movement of goods, causing severe shortages in food, medicine and fuel. Families are rationing their limited food supplies and sharing leftovers with neighbours and relatives to ensure survival, while others search for edible plants and herbs such as mallow in urban areas. For many Palestinians in Gaza, survival depends not only on the scarce resources at their disposal but also on their ability to exchange what they have for the most essential necessities.
“I never thought I would be in a position where I would have to trade something as basic as beans for a single box of baby milk,” said Amal Owda, a mother of a two-month-old baby. Amal explained that she had some dried beans left from her small stock of food. The beans were all she had to offer in exchange for the vital milk. “I had no other choice. My baby was crying from hunger, and I couldn’t find any other way to get him milk,” she said sadly.
The number of children suffering from severe malnutrition continues to rise. Thousands were newly diagnosed with acute forms of undernourishment, especially in areas isolated from aid. UNRWA health staff are stretched beyond capacity, unable to keep up with growing demand. In March alone, nearly 3,700 children were newly admitted for acute malnutrition, marking a sharp increase from the previous month.
UN Secretary-General Spokesman Stephane Dujarric emphasised that, under international humanitarian law, when an occupied population faces inadequate access to supplies, the occupying power is obligated to support relief schemes. This includes agreeing to and facilitating aid programmes by any means available.
Access to essential resources like water and sanitation has become a major concern. According to UNRWA, more than 90 per cent of families in Gaza now face severe water insecurity. With half of the sanitation facilities either damaged or unreachable, the threat of disease is growing. Over 90 per cent of households are reporting water insecurity, highlighting the fact that access to safe water has become alarmingly limited. Some residents brave long lines at the few remaining water points or travel long distances to find clean water, often facing danger because of ongoing military strikes or difficulties on the way.
Layth Al-Astal told Al-Ahram Weekly that lack of access to clean water affects general health and puts the entire community at risk. “It’s a hard and risky job I do every day. It’s a nightmare. I wait in line for long hours to fill a small tank with salty or clean water. My mother is always worried when I go, fearing I might be killed on the way.”
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that over 50 per cent of WASH facilities have been impacted by displacement orders and the imposition of “no-go” zones, with more than 320 facilities made inaccessible. According to the Hamas Government Media Office, over 330,000 metres of water network and 655,000 metres of sewage networks were destroyed by Israeli strikes.
In an attempt to overcome the water shortage crisis in Gaza, some humanitarian organisations are attempting to provide limited water supplies, though these efforts are constrained by the ongoing blockade. These deliveries are often insufficient for the needs of residents. Meanwhile, on 27 March, the remaining UNRWA international staff left the Gaza Strip, while around 12,000 local Palestinian UNRWA personnel in Gaza continue to provide services and assistance to the needy population.
The blockade has led to critical shortages of medical supplies, leaving wounded people, including children, without adequate care. As of April 2025, Gaza’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse due to ongoing conflict and resource shortages. Only 18 out of 38 hospitals remain partially operational, with many facilities suffering severe damage and critical shortages of medical supplies and fuel. The destruction of key hospitals, such as Al-Ahli Baptist and Shifa hospitals in Gaza City, has left large segments of people without access to essential medical services.
In mid-April 2025, Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, one of the last functioning medical facilities in the north, was struck by an Israeli air raid, killing at least 21 people, including children. The blast caused serious damage to the emergency ward and disrupted medical services. Patients, many of them critically wounded, were hastily evacuated. Some were carried on makeshift stretchers or in the arms of their relatives, while others attempted to flee on foot, navigating the debris. Eyewitnesses described horrific moments, with cries for help echoing as smoke and dust rose into the sky. The hospital had been treating hundreds of patients at the time of the strike.
The situation is further exacerbated by the loss of over 1,000 healthcare workers since the war began in October 2023, significantly reducing the capacity for care. Patients face dire conditions, with reports indicating that more than 4,500 amputations have been performed, many without adequate anesthesia.
As of April 2025, nearly 420,000 Palestinians have been newly displaced across the Gaza Strip. According to UN figures, both the intensified military operations and at least 20 evacuation orders issued between 17 March and 14 April have forced thousands to flee areas now deemed unsafe. Over two thirds (69 per cent) of the Gaza Strip is currently within “no-go” zones, Many families have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more. Since the recent displacement orders were issued, more people are left with few places to seek shelter, compounding an already dire humanitarian situation.
“We’ve been displaced eight times since October 2023.”, Mohamed Abu Ramadan told Al-Ahram Weekly. “We moved from Gaza to Khan Younis at the beginning of the war. We moved three times to different parts of Khan Younis, responding to evacuation orders. Then we went to Rafah and moved twice inside Rafah, until we returned to Gaza at last. It’s a very difficult thing. We felt like our souls left our bodies every time we moved.”
As the Israeli operation in Gaza intensifies, Christian communities face mounting challenges to celebrate Easter amid the ongoing war. Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least 58 Palestinians in one day as Christians marked Good Friday. However, dozens of Palestinian Christians in Gaza gathered to hold gatherings in the historic Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in the Zaytun neighbourhood of Gaza City, one of the few remaining places of worship still standing.
Nadia Al-Sayegh, 48, said she used to gather with other congregants and visit neighbours every year to celebrate, while this year the festive gatherings were overshadowed by the threat of airstrikes. “This year, I didn’t visit anyone. Most of my relatives and neighbours were either killed in airstrikes or displaced after their homes were bombed or destroyed. We are scared. We are grieving. We smell death everywhere. We pray for peace and an end to the war.”
During Easter, the Israeli authorities usually issue special permits for Palestinian Christians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to enter Jerusalem for religious celebrations. However, for the second year in a row, Palestinian Christians in Gaza were banned from celebrating Easter in Bethlehem or Jerusalem, while limited permits were given to Christians in the West Bank.
Despite the ongoing atrocities and daily hardship in Gaza, many hold onto a flicker of hope. Amid the destruction and loss, residents are closely following reports of negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent ceasefire. For families who have lost everything, even the smallest sign of diplomatic progress could be a reason to believe that suffering may come to an end.
“I can’t wait to see a ceasefire announcement. I want to return to Gaza and reunite with my family. I came with my daughter, Fadwa, who is receiving treatment for cancer in the United Arab Emirates, and we’ve been here for over a year,” Mariam Mattar, 58, told the Weekly on the phone.
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ terms for a permanent ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. He reaffirmed that the military campaign would continue until Hamas is dismantled, all hostages are freed, and the organisation poses no threat to Israel.
Earlier, Khalil Al-Hayya, the Hamas Movement’s Gaza leader and head of its negotiating team, stated that Hamas was ready to engage in comprehensive package negotiations including the release of all hostages and an agreed-on number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, along with the reconstruction of Gaza and lifting the blockade. The Hamas official emphasised that Hamas would not accept temporary or piecemeal deals, pointing out that Israel’s approach of offering short-term truces, serves as a tactic to continue its offensive.
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, 51,201 Palestinians have been killed and 116,869 injured as of 7 October, 2023, while 1,827 have been killed and 4,828 injured since 18 March, 2025.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 24 April, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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