Gaza Humanitarian Response Update | 10-23 June 2024

Response

• Partners continue to conduct Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) screenings in shelters and healthcare facilities across the Gaza Strip. Since mid-January, 117,209 children aged 6-59 months have been screened for malnutrition, including 11,903 children screened so far in June. Of the total, 8,505 have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition and have been receiving treatment in line with the simplified protocols; these include 6,634 children diagnosed with Moderate Acute Malnutrition, and 1,874 with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). 
• In May, WFP and its partners provided approximately 73 metric tons of Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements for the prevention of malnutrition to about 65,000 beneficiaries, including children under the age of five and pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW).
• Nutrition Cluster partners continue to expand their service delivery points in Al Mawasi, Khan Younis, Deir Al Balah and Gaza city. Currently, nutrition services are being offered at 66 Outpatient Therapeutic Programme sites and three stabilization centres, including one that recently opened at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. To-date, 72 children suffering from SAM with medical complications have received treatment. 
• So far in June, 5,062 caregivers of children under the age of two, including PBW, have received sensitization sessions on Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in Emergencies and 392 mother-to-mother support groups have been established.

Challenges

• Access constraints continue to hamper the early detection of children and women requiring nutrition services and the scale-up of operational presence to provide needed support. In northern Gaza, limited access continues to prevent the establishment of new nutrition services.
• Insecurity and access restrictions have significantly limited pipeline supplies for the Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programme, which can only cover 30 per cent of the needs of children and PBW through the end of July.
• Despite redeployment efforts, the number of nutrition partners in Khan Younis is insufficient to address the increased need for nutrition services following large-scale displacement to the area, thereby heightening the risk of inadequate or no follow-up on cases of children under treatment. 
• Difficulties persist in identifying adequate space to establish nutrition sites and warehouses for nutrition commodities in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.

Response

• As of 21 June, 12 out of 17 bakeries supported by humanitarian partners across the Gaza Strip were operational, six of them in Deir Al Balah, four in Gaza city and two in Jabalya. On 22 June, an additional bakery in Deir Al Balah resumed partial functionality after being forced to close due to lack of cooking gas. Five bakeries in Rafah remain closed due to ongoing hostilities.
• In collaboration with the subsidized bakeries, bread is being distributed together with cooked meals at some of the community kitchens in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah. Through joint efforts with the Health and WASH clusters, clean water continues to be provided to partners to support community kitchens, along with sensitization sessions on the importance of safe food handling and storage to ensure food safety and prevent food-borne diseases. In total, as of mid-June, a daily average of 650,000 hot meals have been provided to families in at least 190 kitchens across the Gaza Strip. 
• The Cluster continues to advocate for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, particularly to hard-to-reach locations on which limited information is available. Furthermore, to complement humanitarian efforts, partners continue to engage with the private sector and financial service providers to enhance the flow of commercial supplies into Gaza and cash liquidity.

Challenges

• Food insecurity remains extremely concerning with barely any fresh produce available on the market. There is a critical need to expand the volume, frequency, and geographic coverage of life-saving food assistance and ensuring the entry of fresh produce, particularly in northern Gaza. Other types of critical aid must also reach people in need through a multi-sectoral response to roll back months of near starvation conditions. 
• Due to continued insecurity hindering aid collection from the Kerem Shalom Crossing, partners are forced to provide reduced food rations and only limited coverage in central and southern Gaza. Unless safe access to the crossing is restored, food parcels available for distribution will be depleted in July and the number of cooked meals would be significantly reduced.
• The lack of sufficient fuel continues to hamper the scale up of essential services and operations.
• A shortage of cooking gas, combined with the absence of a public power supply, is hindering the ability to keep community kitchens and bakeries running and to ensure proper food preparation and nutrition in affected communities. Use of unsafe alternatives for cooking, such as trash and plastic, is increasing protection risks and environmental hazards. 
• Cash availability is insufficient to cover partners’ day-to-day operations. The Cluster continues to advocate for improved cash liquidity and sufficient access to financial and telecommunication services.

Response

• Between 10 and 23 June, the Coastal Municipal Water Utility/Palestinian Water Authority (CMWU/PWA) reported that about 112,000 cubic metres of water were produced per day for safe drinking and domestic purposes across the Gaza Strip, a slight increase compared to the preceding two weeks.  
• Maintenance work of the electricity feeder line for the Southern Gaza Seawater Desalination Plant is ongoing but may be hindered due to fuel shortage. 
• The CMWU has initiated the repair of the sewage network in Deir al Balah to improve sanitation conditions for a growing number of IDPs in the area.  
• Water quality testing equipment for each governorate were supplied by WHO and WASH Cluster partners who are presently working to ensure that each area has dedicated capacity for water quality testing. A Water Points Dashboard is available at: Gaza Strip - Water Points.
• Between 10 and 23 June, the collection and transfer of solid waste to temporary sites continued, albeit at a lower rate due to the lack of fuel. 
• A rapid assessment was conducted in Jabalya in North Gaza governorate, showing that only three out of eight groundwater wells serving the community are operational and the other five have been damaged. To supply the area with additional water via a well in Gaza city, CMWU needs to bring six pipes from southern Gaza, but their transport was recently denied by Israeli authorities.

Challenges

• The lack of fuel is seriously constraining the WASH response across the Strip and negatively affecting water production, network repairs, sewage pumping and treatment, and water trucking services. For example:
  • Water production from groundwater wells has shrunk by over 50 per cent, from 35,000 to 15,000 cubic metres per day, and could shrink further in the absence of additional fuel. 
  • The two operational water desalination plants are producing only 2,000 to 2,500 cubic metres per day due to limited fuel quantities that can only enable membrane flushing. Unless fuel stocks are replenished, the membranes risk becoming permanently unusable, resulting in major water production losses. 
• The limited entry of spare parts and other supplies into Gaza continues to delay repairs of important equipment, particularly generators. Current generators have been operating daily for eight months, and there is a critical need for spare parts and consumables. At present, spare parts are being purchased from markets, when available, or retrieved from bomb-damaged water production points, which are unsafe and unsustainable methods for maintaining the generators.

Response

• The Shelter Cluster is finalizing guidelines for the winterization of shelters in Gaza.
• The Shelter Cluster continues to work with partners to better assess the shelter needs of an increasing number of households returning to damaged or destroyed buildings.
• A few Shelter Cluster partners have been able to intermittently bring in tents and other NFIs into Gaza. However, this represents less than three per cent of the most recently assessed shelter needs.

Challenges

• The continued large-scale lack of shelter materials entering Gaza.
• The lack of functional markets for people to access shelter materials and NFIs.
• The continued degradation of existing shelters, especially makeshift ones, including due to repeated waves of displacement and the need to frequently disassemble and reinstall them. 
• Due to ongoing active hostilities, Shelter Cluster partners remain unable to access many communities, both in northern Gaza as well as some parts of southern Gaza.

Response

• Protection teams continue to identify and respond to the exponentially increasing protection risks and needs of displaced people in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, by: conducting visits to shelters and IDP sites, undertaking focus group discussions and key informant interviews with IDPs, monitoring aid distribution, and ensuring follow up on previously identified vulnerable cases. 
• Protection teams continue to track the release of Palestinians previously arbitrarily detained in Gaza, providing them with emergency assistance, including medical care and support to reunite with their families.
• Child Protection partners continue to follow up on child protection cases, strengthening case management and continuing to identify child friendly spaces at informal displacement sites, jointly with the Education Cluster. 
• The GBV Sub-Cluster continues to provide GBV services to displaced women and girls, including psychological first aid, psychosocial services, case management, referral, legal counselling, recreational activities and awareness sessions on menstrual and personal hygiene. The Sub-Cluster has also continued the distribution of hygiene kits, as well as available sanitary pads, to the most vulnerable women and girls, and is advocating for the entry into Gaza of additional hygiene supplies for women and girls to address existing shortages. 
• Efforts continue to deploy additional Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officers to Gaza and, where access permits, conduct Explosive Hazard Assessments (EHAs). During the reporting period, two Explosive Ordinance (EO) spot checks were conducted, and five interagency convoys were escorted. Sensitization on Explosive Ordnance risks continues, including through: in-person sessions in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir al Balah; digital campaigns using SMS, radio and social media; awareness-raising sessions for humanitarians; and training-of-trainers for local partners.

Challenges

• Insecurity and the disruption of aid flows through the crossings, coupled with the denied entry of critical items, including mine action supplies, sanitary pads, dignity and menstrual health management kits for women and girls, as well as recreational materials for children, remain key challenges. These supplies are absent or extremely limited on the local market and, when available, they have been subjected to soaring prices. The closure of the Rafah Crossing is also impeding the entry/exit of international humanitarian workers.
• Cash shortages are hindering the use of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) by some recipients; this is negatively affecting living conditions, increasing the risk of exposure to violence or exploitation for women and girls, and hindering the ability of partners to pay local service providers and staff salaries.  
• Logistic and security constraints continue to hamper the creation of safe spaces for confidential GBV case management activities, such as safe houses/shelters for high-risk cases, Case Management Response, and the implementation of alternative care options for unaccompanied children. Furthermore, the lack of tents and the limited space in UNRWA shelters in Khan Younis and Middle Area remains a significant challenge. Unavailability of safe shelter options exposes the IDPs, especially the most vulnerable, to heightened protection risks. 
• Frequent interruptions of internet and communications services and damage to key infrastructure continue to curtail mobility and operations. 
• The abrupt interruption in the entry of fuel has nearly halted the implementation, monitoring and coordination of Cluster activities, and has posed an additional challenge for people forcefully displaced from Rafah to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.
• Lack of funding continues to limit the deployment of additional EOD experts, as well as of Explosive Ordnance Risk Education and Conflict Preparedness and Protection teams to meet soaring needs. Administrative hurdles, such as registration of organizational entities and delayed provision of visas, are a compounding factor preventing the scaling up of mine action work.

Response

• During the reporting period, the Education Cluster provided informal learning, recreational and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support services to 22,000 school-aged children. This brings the total number of children reached since 7 October 2023 to 262,000, representing 39 per cent of the Flash Appeal target. 
• The Cluster has mapped 45 community-led education initiatives in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah to identify areas where the most urgent interventions are needed. The Cluster has already linked 30 of these initiatives with partners who can support the expansion of services. 
• The Cluster remains committed to prioritizing the provision of Education in Emergencies (EiE), recreational activities, and psychosocial support, including social emotional learning activities, to children in shelters and designated emergency shelters to help them cope with trauma and build resilience so they can thrive in the long term. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Education, as of 25 June, 7,556 school students and 383 educational staff have been killed in Gaza. 
• Despite significant constraints, most Cluster activities are being implemented by local partners, who demonstrate unwavering resolve to support students in need.    
• The Cluster continues to establish and expand Temporary Learning Sites (TLSs) for school-aged children in and around IDP shelters, including in informal sites. In addition to allowing children to engage in structured education activities, TLSs allow children to benefit from awareness-raising sessions provided by other Clusters on a range of issues, such as unexploded ordnance, gender-based violence and services for their protection.

Challenges

• Safety and security concerns remain a significant factor hampering the Education response. Many parents have expressed fear about sending their children to TLSs, which limits children’s access to provided services. 
• Notwithstanding recent improvements, the lack of space for establishing TLSs is greatly affecting the Education emergency response. This is due to the continued use of schools as shelters and the limited availability of land in informal displacement sites to establish tents for educational activities.
• The lack of fuel remains a major impediment; no requests for fuel by Education Cluster partners have been approved, preventing them from carrying out urgent activities.  
• Limited capacity continues to hamper the scaling up of the Education Cluster response; while many national NGOs are supporting the Cluster response, they lack the required resources, including funds and supplies, to increase the provision of recreational and psychosocial support activities. Furthermore, the lack of educational material available on the local market has caused prices to increase dramatically. 
• The Education Cluster response remains underfunded, with only 35 per cent of the required funds received.

Response

• The 30 pre-approved Very High Frequency (VHF) digital radios were transported into Gaza on 14 June, following clearance by Israeli authorities. Efforts are ongoing to secure approvals for the transport of about 50 additional VHF radios into Gaza.
• The ETC received confirmation that Track24, a satellite-based movement tracking device, has been pre-approved by Israeli authorities for use by UN agencies during missions in Gaza. This device will allow real-time monitoring of mission movements inside the Strip.
• The ETC is engaging with the local Internet Service Provider (ISP) to strengthen internet connectivity services in Deir Al Balah and establish related services at the offices and accommodation spaces of UN agencies and partners.
• The ETC Cluster continues to advocate for the need to import ICT and telecommunications equipment into Gaza to set up common communications services. For more information on ETC activities, please visit: Conflict | Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) (etcluster.org). 

Challenges

• Due to escalating hostilities, increased restrictions on the movement of commodities, damaged infrastructure and fuel shortages, local Mobile Network Operators and ISPs in the Gaza Strip are experiencing network outages and are unable to conduct the necessary repairs. Current conditions are also rendering it difficult to maintain the functionality of the remaining network and have resulted in the loss of connectivity in Rafah.  
• The availability of telecommunications equipment is severely limited, hampering the delivery of ETC services. Much equipment has been damaged or destroyed and the import of new equipment has been lengthy and challenging. Only 20 satellite phones, 30 VHF digital radios, four VHF repeaters and four solar power solutions have been approved for importation into Gaza by Israeli authorities since 7 October 2023. 
• Increasing insecurity, displacement, and relocation of staff from Rafah to Deir al Balah have rendered it difficult to deploy shared ETC communications services or provide face-to-face technical support for humanitarian responders. 
• Delayed rotations of staff since early May have negatively affected the implementation of planned ETC activities. 
• The lack of funding has limited the ETC Cluster’s capacity to address immediate communications needs for humanitarian responders in Gaza. Thus far, less than 32 per cent of requested funding (US$1.8 million) by the Cluster under the updated OPT Flash Appeal has been received.