Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Despite Ceasefire

Six months after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on October 10, 2025, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains critical, with continued civilian casualties, widespread infrastructure damage, and severe restrictions on essential services, according to reports from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other international agencies.

Data from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Gaza’s Health Ministry indicate that at least 738 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire began. The trend has continued into April 2026, with at least 32 deaths reported since the start of the month. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described the situation as an “unrelenting pattern of killings,” noting fatalities across homes, shelters, medical facilities, and transit routes.

Humanitarian organizations including the World Food Programme, World Health Organization, and UNICEF report that the ceasefire has failed to significantly improve civilian protection or living conditions. Aid workers have been particularly affected, with at least 589 killed since October 2023—one of the highest tolls recorded in modern conflicts. Journalists also face significant risks, raising concerns about independent reporting from the territory.

Access to basic services remains critically limited. Damage to power lines supplying desalination plants has reduced access to clean water for around 500,000 people. The healthcare system is described as largely collapsed, with severe shortages of supplies and delays in the entry of specialized medical equipment, worsening conditions for vulnerable patients.

Violence has also intensified in the occupied West Bank, with the United Nations reporting increased settler-related attacks, including assaults, property destruction, and intimidation.