Occupied Palestinian Territory

The Occupied Palestinian Territory faces a protracted protection and political crisis characterized by more than 56 years of Israeli military occupation, 16 years of the Gaza blockade, internal Palestinian divisions, lack of adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law, and recurrent escalations of hostilities between Israeli security forces and Palestinian armed groups.  The hostilities which commenced in October 2023 resulted in unprecedented levels of destruction and suffering, including tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties, hundreds of Israeli casualties, and over 240 hostages from Israel.  Nearly all of Gaza’s current population of 2.1 million people has been displaced, lacking access to sufficient shelter, food, life-saving medical services, clean water, education and livelihoods. 

A ceasefire agreement in October 2025 offers hope and the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 provides an opportunity to consolidate peace, but this is yet to be translated into tangible improvements in Gaza, that would enable the UN and its partners to effectively implement a protection-centered ceasefire plan and deliver humanitarian assistance at the level required to address the acute needs of Palestinians.

In the West Bank, Palestinians in Area C, East Jerusalem and the H2 area of Hebron city continue to face a coercive environment due to a range of longstanding Israeli policies and practices, which have intensified since October 2023. The restrictive and discriminatory planning regime applied in Area C and in East Jerusalem prevents Palestinians from addressing basic housing, livelihoods, and service needs. Further components of the coercive environment of continuing concern are excessive use of force, demolitions, evictions, settlement expansion, and settler-related violence. Combined, they drive insecurity, deprivation of basic human rights and humanitarian needs among Palestinians. 

The humanitarian community has been working tirelessly to address the needs of affected Palestinians across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, to alleviate their suffering and strengthen their resilience.

Most displaced people are living across hundreds of overcrowded sites in tents and makeshift shelters throughout the Gaza Strip. There is no safe or dignified site, and people have little to no safe access to essential services.

With famine confirmed in the Gaza governorate in August 2025 through the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, and notwithstanding some improvements since then, critical concerns persist regarding the protracted and profound nature of the food security and nutrition crisis in Gaza. Food security and nutrition systems have collapsed, and the local food and agrifood production system has been nearly destroyed. 

Throughout most of 2025, Gaza remained the most dangerous place in the world to be an aid worker amid immense challenges in delivering humanitarian assistance. Between 7 October 2023 and 3 December 2025, at least 578 aid workers had been killed, including some in the line of duty. That includes 387 UN personnel.

The humanitarian community in the Occupied Palestinian Territory launched the 2026 Flash Appeal, calling for just over $4 billion to deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance to 3.6 million people across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.  

The appeal underscores dual humanitarian crises: catastrophic destruction and extreme deprivation in Gaza; and rising displacement, demolitions, settler violence and movement restrictions in the West Bank.  

The plan seeks to address priority needs – including food, water, shelter, health and nutrition services, sanitation and hygiene aid, cash assistance, protection, mental health support, and the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure.  

OCHA warns that significant bureaucratic impediments, access restrictions and anti-UN rhetoric continue to constrain aid operations, stressing that full implementation of the humanitarian response depends on a stable and enabling operating environment.