Country: occupied Palestinian territory Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. The information below is provided every other week by Clusters and select Technical Working Groups operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). For an overview of priority needs and activities by cluster, please see the Flash Appeal.Food Security Sector (FSS)ResponseAs of 6 July, 269,000 meals were prepared and delivered by 12 partners through 84 kitchens, including 105,000 meals in northern Gaza and 164,000 meals in central and southern Gaza. The increased number of operational kitchens does not directly correspond to increased meal production as output largely depends on the size and available supplies at each kitchen.Considering the severe shortage and unaffordability of cooking fuel, partners have set up community clay ovens for bread baking, hired women as bakers, and supplied firewood to more than 30 sites. Partners’ assessments will inform the establishment of additional sites.Between 26 and 30 June, partners assisted about 13,000 households with food assistance. Distributions took place across Gaza but were extremely limited in Gaza city given the small volume of stocks that entered through Zikim crossing.After truckloads of food were forcefully intercepted by armed groups on 25 June, WFP, supported by OCHA and community leaders, recovered 51 per cent of the diverted commodities and distributed the aid. The remaining supplies were reportedly rerouted by armed groups and hit by an airstrike on 27 June.ChallengesThe current volume and pace of deliveries remain critically insufficient to meet the needs of Gaza's entire population, who are facing deteriorating high levels of acute food insecurity. Consistent, frequent, large-scale deliveries through multiple crossings are urgently required to meet needs and stabilize availability, pricing, and affordability of wheat flour and other basic staples as well as reduce tensions and rebuild trust within communities. All UN-supported bakeries remain closed.The lack of fuel is severely constraining the ability of partners to sustain operations, including cargo collection, distributions, and kitchen operations.Attacks on people attempting to collect food supplies along humanitarian aid convoy routes or from militarized distribution sites continue to be reported, resulting in mass casualties. According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, since 27 May and as of 7 July, casualties among people trying to access food supplies have increased to 758 fatalities and more than 5,005 injuries.An increase in incidents of organized looting and secondary theft is severely constraining food delivery and distribution and posing significant risks to the population and humanitarian partners. As a result, on 4 July, key FSS partners have again paused the collection of cargo from crossings until further notice.The current absence and denied entry of veterinary kits, including insecticides, are preventing vector control to address ectoparasite infestation, aggravating public health risks.Security conditions have also severely affected partners’ storage capacities, preventing access to many functioning storage facilities in the Gaza Strip.Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)ResponseDuring the reporting period, WASH partners continued to distribute water through trucking, albeit at reduced volumes, primarily due to the lack of fuel. Between 22 June and 5 July, based on available data, 27 WASH Cluster partners distributed a daily average of 17,045 cubic metres of drinking water to 1,357 water collection points, compared with a daily average of 22,000 cubic metres distributed to 1,914 water collection points in the preceding two weeks.Building on the findings of a recent study on chlorination effectiveness in Gaza, the WASH cluster in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Palestinian Water Authority, and the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility conducted the first Chlorination in Emergencies training to 35 WASH Cluster partners on 2 and 3 June. The training provided practical orientation for field staff and supervisors to enhance knowledge about how to conduct chlorination, the water safety chain, emergency water standards, and monitoring water quality.A WASH partner has established a new drinking water production point in central Gaza city, using reverse osmosis treatment units to pump water from a well. It currently provides about 550 cubic metres of drinking water per day area residents, including internally displaced people (IDPs), with plans to expand the volume to 750 cubic metres (full capacity).In June, the WASH Cluster together with partners, developed a communication brief to support advocacy on the impacts of reduced fuel supplies on the WASH response.ChallengesThe continued blockade on the entry of fuel into Gaza is severely restricting WASH services, with devastating impacts on public health, such as a rise in waterborne diseases and preventable deaths. Throughout May and June, WASH partners received only 25 per cent of the fuel required to sustain effective emergency operations. This has resulted in shorter pumping hours, reduced water production and delivery rates, limited solid waste collection, and sewage pumping being restricted to areas at high risk of flooding (e.g. Sheikh Radwan pond).As of 4 July, 80 per cent of WASH assets and facilities now fall within the Israeli-militarized zone or in areas that have been placed under displacement orders (often overlapping) since 18 March. This includes 97 out of 121 desalination plants (80 per cent), 52 out of 58 water reservoirs (90 per cent), 302 out of 392 water wells (77 per cent), and 58 out of 70 wastewater pumping stations (83 per cent). Overall, at present, WASH actors are only able to produce from water wells, Mekorot lines and desalination plants less than 50 per cent of the water produced during the ceasefire period in February.Hygiene items – including hygiene kits and cleaning supplies essential for protecting public health – have been denied entry since the end of the ceasefire. While these items are theoretically approved, the details regarding permissible content and authorized entry routes remain unclear. As such, no hygiene items have entered since 2 March.The lack of water and hygiene items are constraining the ability of WASH partners to improve household-level WASH services and aggravating public health risks. Currently, 39 per cent of reported illnesses are linked to acute watery diarrhea (AWD).HealthResponseAs of 7 July, a total of 21 emergency medical teams (EMTs), including two national and 19 international EMTs, were operational across Gaza, down from 27 during the ceasefire.During the reporting period, WHO facilitated the entry of 27 trucks carrying 238 pallets of medical supplies, including 10 pallets of cold chain items comprising 1,396 blood units and 1,550 plasma units supplied by the Ministry of Health in the West Bank. Delivered blood units are estimated to meet needs for seven to 10 days, while the plasma supplies are expected to last for about a month.On 2 July 2025, WHO completed the medical evacuation of 23 patients, including 19 children, and 46 companions to Jordan and Türkiye for specialized care.During the reporting period, UNFPA distributed five types of reproductive health kits, along with oxytocin (used to induce labour and prevent or manage postpartum hemorrhage), to six partners in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and Gaza city, enabling care for approximately 3,050 women.During the reporting period, WHO conducted a training session on integrated maternal and child illnesses for 23 healthcare providers in Gaza city.UNRWA is providing approximately 800 consultations weekly for women and girls across Gaza.Health partners continue to adapt services due to ongoing hostilities and the issuance of displacement orders. For example, an INGO has relocated all rehabilitation activities from Nasser Medical Complex to a field hospital in Deir al Balah.ChallengesHospitals are under severe strain, facing critical shortages of fuel, medicines, and medical supplies, as well as blood and blood products. Overwhelmed by the surge in trauma cases, emergency departments at hospitals and field hospitals are full and the bed occupancy rate has surpassed 100 per cent, with some facilities forced to convert standard inpatient units into makeshift Intensive Care Units (ICUs), often without adequate Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures. This has forced many patients to stay in emergency departments while waiting for inpatient beds or becoming stuck in operating theaters due to the lack of post-operative care capacity.Access to Nasser and Al Amal hospitals has been intermittent due to their location in areas placed under displacement orders. As a result, other hospitals in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah are experiencing a growing load of childbirths while facing shortages in delivery beds, cardiotocography (CTG) monitors, and other essential equipment.Overcrowded shelters, limited access to clean water, poor sanitation, and rising malnutrition due to food scarcity, are contributing to weakened immunity, increased morbidity, and a rise in water-borne and other diseases.Cases of AWD comprise 39 per cent of all reported illnesses. New cases of bloody diarrhea and acute jaundice syndrome have also been reported at overcrowded displacement sites.Inadequate nutrition and poor hygiene have contributed to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, including anemia, infections, and high-risk pregnancies.A total of 484 suspected meningitis cases were reported across the Gaza Strip in June 2025. While seasonal peaks in meningitis are typically observed during June and July, the current surge is significantly higher than in previous years. Khan Younis and Gaza city remain the most affected governorates, reporting the highest number of suspected cases. At the same time, accurate case classification has been challenging due to limited access to tests that can confirm the diagnosis or identify the bacteria causing the disease.Rehabilitation services have been scaled back across all levels – from outreach and primary healthcare to specialized facilities – due to critical shortages of rehabilitation consumables and assistive devices.The small number of available ambulances and the lack of fuel have limited the timely availability of ambulances for obstetric emergencies.ProtectionResponseDuring the reporting period, Gender-based violence (GBV) Area of Responsibility (AoR) partners:Provided 500 women with individual counselling to promote the well-being and recovery of survivors, and 80 GBV survivors with cash assistance.Continued to manage support for 2,987 women and girls at 17 Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) across the Gaza Strip, including 587 women in Gaza city, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates who were reached with therapeutic activities (e.g. painting) and awareness raising sessions on GBV, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).Organized sessions on non-violence and active male engagement in GBV prevention, reaching 685 men and boys in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates.Held community dialogue sessions on GBV concerns with 155 men and 100 women in Deir al Balah and Gaza city, promoting a collective approach to GBV prevention and mitigation.Between 24 and 26 June, the GBV AoR conducted online capacity-strengthening sessions for all 20 active GBV case-workers to enhance their skills in delivering survivor-centered support to GBV survivors.Published a GBV Trends Analysis, covering April and May, to bring attention to a range of GBV risks, including a rise in intimate partner violence, which are largely fueled by stress and tensions linked to food scarcity and economic hardship.During the reporting period, UNRWA's protection teams carried out 26 protection observations, 32 key informant interviews and 42 focus group discussions (FGDs) in Khan Younis (including Al Mawasi), Deir al Balah and Gaza city. UNRWA has continued to facilitate referrals to specialized services and distribute limited in-kind assistance; due to the depletion of supplies, only seven people received material support (e.g. sanitary pads, baby diapers, toilet paper, soap), down from 236 in the preceding two weeks. Additionally, UNRWA teams conducted 110 awareness-raising sessions between 13 and 26 June on child protection, Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and PSEA, reaching 2,289 displaced people.During the reporting period, Child Protection (CP) AoR partners reached over 30,000 children and caregivers through direct service provision and community outreach, including:Delivered MHPSS services to more than 3,600 children and 2,500 caregivers.Organized recreational and community-based activities, such as safe play, peer group sessions, and community initiatives to strengthen social bonds and promote emotional well-being, reaching over 1,200 children.Provided case management and emergency care to about 60 children, including unaccompanied, separated, injured, or exploited children. A total of 32 children were reunified with their families in coordination with health and other sectors.Carried out community-based child protection and psychosocial activities at 32 locations across Gaza, reaching over 21,500 caregivers and community members with key messages on the prevention of family separation, child safety at distribution points, explosive ordnance risks, and hotlines for missing or at-risk children.On 24 June, the CP AoR conducted an online, four-hour refresher training on CP information management plus for 75 CP case workers across Gaza, aimed at strengthening their capacity in effective case management.ChallengesDisplaced communities across the Gaza Strip continue to face significant protection risks due to acute insecurity, repeated displacement and overcrowded living conditions, and critical shortages of adequate shelter, non-food items (NFIs), dignity kits, hygiene items, food, water and medications. Risks include: widespread psychological distress, among adults and children alike; heightened risks of GBV, including harassment and intimate partner violence; and growing vulnerability of children to exploitation, including child labor and neglect. Older persons and people with disabilities are among the most at-risk, often unable to access services or assistance due to mobility challenges and other structural barriers.Fuel shortages remain a significant challenge for both GBV and CP partners, severely hindering mobility, the transport of materials and the ability to reach remote or newly displaced communities, thereby constraining the implementation of outreach, awareness-raising and case management activities. With frontline staff conducting outreach and case management on foot, some operations have been scaled back and many staff report feeling demoralized and hungry themselves.Severe insecurity continues to undermine CP efforts across Gaza. In Gaza city, services at one Child Friendly Space located at Al-Samer Clinic were suspended after nearby shelling posed an immediate threat to children, families, and staff. In Khan Younis, operations at a WGSS were suspended following a violent family conflict that raised serious safety concerns. In northern Gaza, two temporary CFSs in Al Zaytoun area of Gaza city were destroyed in direct strikes, resulting in the tragic death of a child protection facilitator. These incidents highlight the extreme risks facing both children, their families, and frontline workers, and the urgent need for enhanced protection measures and safe humanitarian access.Alternative care providers continue to face overwhelming challenges due to critical shortages in shelter capacity, food, clean water, fuel for basic operations, and cash liquidity – particularly for families providing kinship care. Children with disabilities face heightened risks due to the lack of assistive devices, inclusive services and accessible infrastructure.EducationResponseAs of 30 June, there are 298 functional Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS), serving approximately 113,000 learners, including: 106 TLS in Gaza city, 93 in Deir al Balah, 91 in Khan Younis, eight in North Gaza and none in Rafah. Currently served students comprise 17 per cent of the 658,000 children in need of educational support. Compared with the end of May, there was an increase of 78 TLS, which is attributed to the reopening of TLS that had been suspended and then re-opened due to security concerns, including displacement orders.Two Education Cluster partners are currently preparing to provide the Ministry of Education and Higher Education with technical and logistical support to facilitate the administration of the General Secondary Education Examinations (Tawjihi) in the Gaza Strip for the first time since October 2023. A pilot exam, targeting 1,500 students, will be held between 17 and 19 July. In the event that a ceasefire takes effect, the remaining 90,000 students will take the exams. Given the exceptional circumstances, they will be conducted online in three phases, starting in July, to ensure access for all eligible students from the past two academic years. The Cluster is also mapping TLS to identify those suitable as venues for administering the exams.ChallengesAttacks on schools continue to cause additional damage to the already fragile education infrastructure. During the reporting period, 14 attacks on schools have been recorded across the Gaza Strip, affecting 11 public and three UNRWA schools and resulting in casualties among displaced civilians, including children, who were sheltering in school buildings. The incidents included 10 that involved airstrikes, two drone strikes, and two shelling. Of the total, 11 occurred in Gaza city, two in North Gaza and one in Deir al Balah.As of 1 July, the Ministry of Education (MoE) reports that at least 15,811 students and 703 education personnel have been killed, while 23,612 students and 3,15 education staff have been injured, many with lifelong physical or psychological impacts. These figures further underscore the devastating impact of the ongoing crisis on the education sector, including students and staff, severely undermining efforts to maintain and restore safe learning environments for children.During the reporting period, seven displacement orders forced the suspension of 41 functional TLS supported by 447 teachers and serving approximately 15,000 learners, marking a setback in expanding access to learning and MHPSS. Since 22 June, 85 TLS have closed in total, disrupting access to learning for more than 33,000 learners.The ongoing critical fuel shortages in Gaza continue to disrupt education response in Gaza. Partners are unable to transport water to TLS and mobile assets, such as tents. Staff movement for monitoring and supervision of TLS has also been significantly limited, so were group activities that require powered equipment, such as loudspeakers. Moreover, recurrent internet connectivity outages are limiting children’s remote learning opportunities.Funding for the education response remains critically low, with less than 10 per cent of the 2025 Flash Appeal requirements met. The Education Cluster urges donors to increase their support, particularly ahead of any potential ceasefire, to facilitate a scale-up of the response. Immediate priorities include expanding TLS, providing teacher incentives, and facilitating the entry of essential education supplies, many of which remain stuck at crossings awaiting approval for entry into Gaza.ShelterResponseDuring the reporting period, a Shelter Cluster partner distributed 116 emergency shelter kits (ESKs), including framing kits, tool kits, sealing-off kits, and solar lamps, reaching 116 households in Al-Mawasi, in Khan Younis. These distributions included the last available ESKs in the central and southern areas. One partner distributed clothing vouchers to help 1,000 newly displaced households in Gaza city purchase adult and children's clothing available in local shops.During the reporting period, one partner conducted a remote assessment of 33 displacement sites by phone due to safety concerns. The assessment highlighted that tarpaulins, hygiene kits, and tents remain the top three priority needs after food and water. In 97 per cent of the assessed sites, some people are sleeping in the open without any form of shelter protection, reaching up to 20 per cent households in certain locations. The critical need for latrines was also underscored by the key informants. Additionally, key informants at 75 per cent of the assessed sites reported that they do not have sufficient space to set up new shelters or tents.During the reporting period, the Shelter Cluster and the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) NORCAP programme published a new report revealing the devastating impact that the absence of reliable energy has on daily life and essential services in Gaza.ChallengesMost of the shelter items distributed in Gaza, such as tents, have a short lifespan of only three to six months, creating a repetitive cycle of demand for shelter assistance. This is further compounded by repeated waves of forced displacement, often resulting in the loss or abandonment of essential shelter items. As a result, and despite previous aid distributions, unmet shelter needs remain widespread across the Gaza Strip. An estimated 1.3 million people require emergency shelter items, while around 1.3 million people are estimated to require household items, according to the most recent assessment by the Shelter Cluster conducted in July (see dashboard).Ongoing displacement continues to drive growing needs for shelter assistance and NFIs while available resources remain scarce. Many people have been forced to flee without their belongings and have sought shelter in every possible space, including in already overcrowded displacement camps, damaged buildings, streets and open areas, leaving their shelter needs largely unmet.The inability to bring in shelter items and NFIs through crossings since 2 March, prohibitively expensive shelter items that remain available in limited quantities on the market, and overcrowded displacement settings are further constraining response efforts. This is exacerbated by ongoing airstrikes targeting displacement sites, repeated displacement orders, social tensions and unrest, and the displacement of many aid workers. Movement restrictions and insecurity are also limiting the ability of partners to access people in need in some areas.The immense needs far outweigh available resources, complicating prioritization efforts during aid distributions and contributing to tensions within communities.LogisticsResponseThe Logistics Cluster team continues to coordinate with partners to submit the daily truck manifest to the Israeli authorities.During the reporting period, the Logistics Cluster facilitated the transport of one truck from Jordan via the Back-to-Back (B2B) convoy modality to Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing. The Cluster B2B transport service from Amman, provided at no cost to users, has been extended until 31 July. Future extensions will be considered based on evolving operational conditions and authorizations.During the reporting period, the Cluster facilitated the transport of 25 trucks inside Gaza from Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem on behalf of one partner. Transport and storage services at no cost for users inside Gaza are available to all partners, subject to security conditions.ChallengesAlthough Israeli authorities have confirmed there is no restriction on the number of trucks that can be included in the daily manifest, the list of permitted items remains unchanged, including limited health, nutrition, food, water treatment items, and hygiene kits. Additionally, the number of authorised organisations permitted to deliver cargo remains restricted, limiting the flow of aid.Despite Israeli authorities’ approval of the movement of certain medical items from the West Bank to Gaza on 19 June, the crossings in the West Bank designated for use are frequently closed. As a result, during the reporting period, only three out of seven attempted movements via the West Bank route were able to cross and offload health supplies at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing.Cargo positioned in the Egypt corridor continues to be denied entry into Gaza. As of 30 June, 687 trucks for UN and international NGOs, 57 per cent of which carry food supplies, are in Al Arish.Fuel shortages and connectivity disruptions continue to hamper operations, including cargo pick-up, coordination, and information sharing.Emergency Telecommunications (ETC)ResponseThe ETC continues to coordinate with telecommunications operators and relevant authorities to ensure safe access by technical teams to carry out the necessary repairs of fiber cables as needed. On 7 July, a telecommunication service provider confirmed that the Erez fibre route was repaired, restoring connectivity reliability on this line. This follows the 27 June disruption that had left the Khan Younis route as the sole operational link. With the Erez line now functional, the risk of a total Internet blackout has been reduced.On 4 July, the ETC conducted a training session on strengthening the management of tracking devices and enhancing staff safety for six members of the UN-led Gaza Security Operations Centre (GSOC). This was the first of three planned sessions.For more information on ETC activities, please visit:Palestine: Conflict | Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) (etcluster.org).ChallengesAs of 7 July, telecommunications and internet service providers reported critically low fuel reserves, with remaining supplies expected to be exhausted soon. Without the immediate entry of fuel and engine oil to operate generators that power key infrastructure, telecommunications services are expected to shut down, with severe consequences for the continuity of humanitarian operations, staff safety and the ability of affected people to access lifesaving information and emergency services.Continued restrictions on the entry of aid and other essentials have hindered the import of critically needed Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment. Combined with insufficient funding, this is severely constraining ETC's ability to deliver services needed to support humanitarian operations and access to life-saving information in Gaza.Protection against sexual abuse and exploitation (PSEA) remains a cross-cutting priority for all clusters. Aid distribution must be delivered with dignity and respect. Any wrongdoing can be reported through SAWA’s toll-free number 164. SAWA will assist and provide services free of charge and with the utmost confidentiality.To promote accountability to affected people, the online Humanitarian Service Directory provides information on aid services, helplines, and key messages, and is available via hyperlink and QR code.* Asterisks indicate that a figure, sentence, or section has been rectified, added, or retracted after the initial publication of this update.