Gaza Humanitarian Access Snapshot #7

GAZA, PALESTINE — Humanity & Inclusion, and other organizations provide an update on the situation in Gaza from October 10 to November 13, 2024, releasing the Humanitarian Access Snapshot #7

Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip, as of 12 November 2024, has killed more than 43,665 Palestinians and injured 103,076, with tens of thousands still missing. Around 80% of Gaza is under forced displacement orders, and 90% of the population has been displaced, most multiple times in the last year.

On 13 October, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin sent a letter containing demands to Israeli officials to improve the humanitarian situation or face restrictions on U.S. military aid. As of now, Israel has failed to meet those demands, which included meeting a minimum of 350 trucks per day, ending the isolation of northern Gaza, and removing an agreed list of essential items from the dual-use items list. A scorecard developed by eight humanitarian organizations assesses Israel’s failure to comply with U.S. humanitarian access demands.

A displaced citizen from Gaza City states, "Everyone has received this call before. One of your friends or colleagues or relatives or cousins is under siege or bombs. And they ask for help. And you can't do anything. You can't do anything for them. And they die. They die while they are asking us to help them. This is the worst thing. "

Humanitarian organizations reported the following impediments, restrictions, and security challenges while responding to the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip:

• Tragically, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 20 aid workers from both Palestinian and international organizations, the majority from Palestinian organizations. Staff were killed in their homes, in displacement camps, and while delivering life-saving aid. Many aid workers lost close family members and relatives.

• On 24 October, the Gaza Civil Defense was forced to cease operations due to attacks by Israeli Forces on its members and damaging its equipment. The lack of responders means that many are trapped under the rubble without rescue, and the number of people killed as a result of airstrikes is likely to increase, given that there is no capacity to rescue those trapped under rubble and still alive.

• In central and southern Gaza, more than 100 kitchens producing 400,000 meals daily are at risk of shutting down due to supply shortages.

• The majority of INGOs are only able to deliver services in the north through Palestinian partners, at least eight of whom have been forced to suspend or severely limit interventions in the north due to displacement, access restrictions, and insecurity. Many organizations, including MedGlobal and MECA, have been unable to deliver aid to parts of the north for at least one month or more.

• Palestinian organizations, including Juzoor, partnering with Islamic Relief, Oxfam, CARE, Médecins du Monde (MdM), Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Community Training Centre for Crisis Management (CTCCM) partnering with War Child had to suspend or partially suspend operations in areas such as Beit Lahia and Jabalia due to hostilities. Juzoor and Save Youth Future Society also reported that humanitarian access restrictions and hostilities hampered aid operations in northern Gaza.

• A warehouse in Jabalia belonging to an organization wishing to stay anonymous was looted due to security guards being forcibly displaced.

• In the north, at least 70% of movement requests were denied, impeded, or canceled. At least seven organizations reported that movements were denied for humanitarian operations, impacting water trucking and delivery of life-saving aid.

• Orders from Israeli forces forcibly displaced aid workers working with several organizations in the north. All of MedGlobal’s staff were forcibly displaced, and several were detained by Israeli forces during the attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital.

• ActionAid partner Al-Awda has two health centers in Jabalia and Beit Lahia that were temporarily forced to close while health services continued to be provided at Al Awda Hospital. There is ongoing shelling surrounding the hospital; it has been directly hit more than once, including the third and fourth floors. Some medical staff in the hospital were injured, one of whom was injured seriously, requiring the amputation of their left hand. The hospital continues to provide services despite the severe shortage of medicines, medical supplies, fuel, food, and health specialties.

• An organization that prefers to stay anonymous was able to deliver two trucks of food to Gaza City. Still, due to the desperate situation and severe food shortages, the majority of goods were looted by unarmed civilians before they could reach their intended destination. CESVI, Première Urgence Internationale (PUI), and other organizations delivered essential supplies to northern Gaza, which were stolen during looting incidents.

• Mercy Corps and Oxfam were able to deliver supplies to warehouses. However, Palestinian partner organizations were unable or delayed in distributing the supplies to affected populations in the North Gaza governorate due to the lack of security at distribution sites. Oxfam and partners managed to distribute the supplies to displaced people from the North Gaza Governorate who were forced to evacuate to Gaza City. Mercy Corps eventually distributed aid in Deir al-Balah and Gaza City.