An endless humanitarian disaster

What is the situation in Gaza 6 months after the ceasefire agreement?

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains extremely alarming. Humanitarian aid entering the territory is far from sufficient. On 28 February, following the regional escalation, the Israeli authorities closed all crossings into the Gaza Strip. Only a few UN and INGOS trucks are able to get through, while at least ten times more assistance is needed to respond to the scale of the crisis. Commercial and private trucks are allowed to enter. 

At the same time, the ceasefire agreement is being violated on a daily basis. Bombings continue to occur in populated civilian areas almost every day, which leads to repeated forced displacement and continued impediments to humanitarian aid. Since the ceasefire agreement in October last year, 649 Palestinians were killed in Israeli military operations in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, bringing the number of Palestinian fatalities to 72,134 killed since October 2023.

In our case, there has been no real improvement. None of our trucks have been allowed to enter Gaza since March 2025. HI international staffs are no longer allowed to enter in Gaza for the time being. This severely limits our ability to respond to the growing needs of the population.

Is the situation different in the West Bank?

Violence continues in 2026, with new killings linked to settler attacks and continued Israeli military incursions. In 2025 alone, UN-OCHA documented over 1,770 settler attacks causing casualties or property damage in more than 270 communities. This equals about five incidents per day. Over 900 Palestinians were forcibly displaced in early 2026, often due to settler violence or access restrictions. Hundreds of homes and structures have been demolished and hundreds of people displaced and forcibly evicted, especially in East Jerusalem

Israeli authorities have also expanded military checkpoints, roadblocks, and gates, which cut communities off from each other, restricting access to healthcare, schools, humanitarian aid delivery, farmland, and jobs, among other basic needs and services

How does HI work to help people with disabilities in Palestine?

The needs remain immense. Almost the entire population of over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza needs humanitarian aid. According to the World Health Organization, at least 42,000 people in Gaza have been injured with permanent disabilities since October 2023, and more than 5,000 amputations have been recorded.

Rehabilitation is a major challenge. In Gaza, there are only eight prosthetics and orthotics specialists for the entire population. Our team includes one of these specialists, and together they can assist around ten people per day with prosthetic fittings, adjustments, or assessments.

In Gaza, massive displacement, infrastructure damage, and limited humanitarian access have created critical needs for hygiene and healthcare services, with waterborne diseases and polio threatening public health. The management of debris, contaminated with explosive ordnance and remnants of war, is overwhelming. 

In a context like Gaza, living with a disability makes survival even more difficult. Persons with disabilities face additional barriers in emergencies.

For example, there are no warning systems adapted for people who are deaf or visually impaired, and evacuating during bombings can be extremely challenging or even impossible for those with mobility impairments. We also teach people, including persons with disabilities, how to act appropriately in case of bombings or shelling.

Meanwhile, in the West Bank, violence by settlers is rising, and more movement restrictions, such as military checkpoints, make the lives of Palestinians unbearable.

UN estimates indicate that about 1.2 million people in the West Bank need humanitarian assistance, with a focus on emergency shelter, food security, and legal aid after demolitions or displacement. The trauma experienced by populations facing violence, the demolition of their belongings, and forced displacement is overwhelming.

Do you see that the cleaning of debris and rubble has started?

It is impossible because of the contamination from explosive remnants and the need for heavy machinery that Palestinians do not have.

Education sessions on the risks posed by explosive remnants of war are critical because of the presence of remnants of bombs buried in the rubble. Children are particularly vulnerable because they may pick up unfamiliar objects without realizing the danger.

How do you assess the impact of the Israeli authorities’ decision to ban 37 NGOs from operating in Palestine?

This decision will create a huge gap in the humanitarian response. International NGOs play a critical role in Gaza, and across the occupied Palestinian territory. They manage or support about 60% of field hospitals and provide much of the medical and psychological support for the wounded. They also implement nearly three-quarters of activities related to shelter and non-food items, and they provide treatment for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

In addition, international organisations cover more than half of the total funding for explosive ordnance disposal and manage or support about 30% of emergency education activities.

Along with 16 other NGOs among the 37 notified by Israeli authorities to cease operations, HI has challenged these measures in the Israeli High Court. A ruling from the court is still pending on end of March. We remain committed to serving millions in need.

Does the current war situation in the Middle East complicate your organisation’s work in Gaza?

Yes, very much so. The situation in the West Bank is also deteriorating, with increasing settler violence and tighter movement restrictions. This affects the broader humanitarian environment in the occupied Palestinian territory.

At the same time, Gaza is directly impacted because key aid crossing points. Rafah, which has been closed for one year, may reopen on March 18, but partially. Another challenge is that international attention has shifted away from Gaza, even though humanitarian needs there remain extremely urgent.

I think of our colleagues in Lebanon, where escalating violence over the past two weeks has caused massive population displacement. The bombing and shelling in populated areas in Beirut and southern Lebanon, the violations of international humanitarian law and the targeting of healthcare workers are particularly resonant for me.