The humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is worsening as the war and blockade enter their third year, with millions of Palestinians living under the weight of displacement, food and water shortages, and the destruction of infrastructure and basic services. While families struggle to survive in tents lacking the most basic necessities, the humanitarian needs are expanding to include children, women, and the sick, at a time when municipalities in the Strip are facing increasing shortages of water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
On Wednesday, Minister of Social Development Samah Hamad warned of the worsening humanitarian and social crisis in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that more than 1.6 million displaced people are living for the third consecutive year in tents lacking the most basic necessities.
Hamad pointed out that the tents of the displaced lack access to potable water and basic food supplies, due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and treatment plants, while the available water supply has fallen below international standards.
She highlighted the sharp decline in aid trucks and nutritional supplements intended for children and pregnant women, despite UN resolutions, warning that nearly half a million citizens are suffering from famine, with the number expected to rise to 1.8 million by the end of the year.
Hamad also warned of the risk of approximately 500,000 children contracting malnutrition, citing reports from 15 international organizations, including the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
