Gaza remains in a humanitarian crisis despite the relief provided by the October ceasefire. Immediate, coordinated action through a joint US–UN–Israeli humanitarian operations center is needed to deliver aid, remove rubble, and rebuild critical infrastructure.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorated dramatically during the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas. The physical destruction of homes, hospitals, health clinics, sanitation facilities, and power plants; the multiple displacements of large segments of the population, and the limited access to basic food and medical supplies have contributed to catastrophic living conditions that affected all Gazans.
The complete closure imposed by Israel in March 2025, following the breakdown of the January 19, 2025 ceasefire, further deepened Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Under considerable international pressure, Israel reopened several crossings in May 2025 and authorized the newly established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to serve as the principal provider of humanitarian assistance. However, the number of trucks entering Gaza was insufficient to meet the demand, and the process was further compromised by difficulty accessing the GHF sites and the diversion and looting of aid by armed gangs. By August 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification’s Famine Review Committee determined that famine was occurring in parts of the Gaza governorate and there were daily reports of children dying of malnutrition.
On October 10, Israel and Hamas agreed to President Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, which included several provisions designed to address the dire humanitarian situation:
Since the agreement went into effect, the number of trucks entering Gaza has steadily increased; however, the target of 600 trucks per day – the average during the January–March ceasefire period – has not yet been met. Commercial bakeries and more than 175 humanitarian kitchens have reopened, and prices for basic commodities, including sugar and flour, have decreased significantly. Medical supplies are also again entering Gaza, although Israeli restrictions still prevent certain items that are designated as dual-use. Fuel to power desalination plants – which provide clean water for Palestinians – and other critical facilities is becoming more available, although the minimal daily levels to sustain the entire population have not yet been reached.
These improvements, however, should not mask the severe conditions that continue to prevail. An estimated 90 percent of homes are uninhabitable, and winter is fast approaching. The medical triage necessary to cope with shortages of supplies and a lack of hospital beds has exacerbated the health conditions of the already and newly vulnerable, particularly infants, elderly, and the disabled. Nearly 90 percent of schools have been damaged or destroyed and more than 625,000 school-age children have had only limited access to educational opportunities. Gaza’s pre-war industries have been destroyed and huge investments are required to remove the rubble and unexploded ordnance from the streets of Gaza and restore the potential of previously productive agricultural lands.
As acknowledged in Trump’s 20-point plan, Gaza’s humanitarian realities require immediate responses that must not be delayed by protracted negotiations regarding the composition of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) or the designation of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee. Hence, the following steps should be taken immediately: