The World Food Programme (WFP) has doubled its aid deliveries to Gaza, bringing in 22,000 metric tons of food in the past six days, more than the entire supply that entered Gaza in November. The UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, highlighted further relief efforts, noting that six fuel tankers were delivered to northern Gaza on Wednesday.
Aid workers are assisting people returning to shattered homes, providing food, water, and hygiene kits. The UN Children's fund (UNICEF) is distributing identification bracelets for children to help families stay connected.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has supplied fuel, tents, and equipment to establish trauma stabilization points along Al Rashid Road in collaboration with the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
Emergency nutrition efforts continue, with high-energy biscuits distributed to 19,000 people south of Wadi Gaza and 10,000 in the north. Shelter assistance is also being scaled up, with humanitarian partners distributing tents to families.
Water remains a critical concern, and aid workers are ramping up water trucking operations. In Rafah alone, 300 cubic meters of potable water - enough for 50,000 people - is being distributed daily.
Despite the increasing humanitarian response, returning residents face significant risks from UXO contamination. The UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has warned that between 5 to 10 percent of weapons fired into Gaza have failed to detonate, leaving behind deadly hazards.
Since October 2023, at least 92 people have been killed or injured by explosive ordnance. Informal reports suggest 24 victims since the ceasefire began, according to Luke Irving, Chief of the UN Mine Action Programme (UNMAS) in the occupied Palestinian territories.
UNMAS and its partners are conducting awareness sessions, distributing safety leaflets, and escorting humanitarian convoys along high-risk routes.
A newly established UN-led Gaza Debris Management Framework aims to ensure the safe removal of rubble, but progress is being hindered by UXO contamination, exposure to hazardous materials, and complex property disputes.
Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, violence and military operations continue to escalate. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported a drastic deterioration in the humanitarian situation, particularly in the governorates of Jenin and Tulkarm.
Israeli military operations in these areas have led to significant destruction of civilian infrastructure. In Tulkarm, access to water and electricity has been disrupted, and initial estimates suggest that nearly 1,000 people have been displaced in recent days.
UN agencies are calling for unhindered access to deliver aid safely and ensure the protection of both civilians and humanitarian workers.
Mr. Dujarric reiterated the urgent need for safe passage for humanitarian workers, the protection of civilians, and the acceleration of reconstruction efforts to support those returning home.