In brief
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that recent airstrikes in Gaza have caused significant damage and displaced about 100 families, while roughly 3,000 Palestinians remain uprooted in Hebron due to Israeli restrictions. Health officials highlighted rising respiratory and meningitis cases, linking them to overcrowded and deteriorating conditions. The UN called for unhindered humanitarian access and the protection of civilians in both the Strip and the West Bank.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday that recent airstrikes in Gaza’s Khan Younis area had damaged a UN warehouse and caused the death of incumbent building debris, but that UN staff no longer remained injured. OCHA added that various UN‑affiliated agencies had documented the destruction of infrastructure and the displacement of roughly 100 Palestinian families from their homes, tents and other belongings as a result of fires and other incidents.
OCHA also reported that the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) had witnessed explosions near its facilities, had recorded small‑arms rounds striking a UNOPS staff location, and had watched the detention of humanitarian convoy drivers at checkpoints. The agency explained that this collection of incidents, which it described as “ongoing,” has been occurring across both Gaza and the West Bank over the past week.
The World Health Organization (WHO) was cited by OCHA as reporting a continuing surge in acute respiratory infections throughout Gaza. WHO’s own 2026 report that covered the period from 7 October 2023 to 30 September 2026 documented over 200 cases of viral meningitis and more than 70 cases of probable bacterial meningitis. WHO’s assessment pointed to overcrowding, degraded water and sanitation infrastructure and shortages of essential treatments as key factors increasing disease transmission risk.
To counter these public‑health threats, OCHA called for the rapid scaling of services and “the lifting of restrictions on the entry of humanitarian supplies, specialized equipment, engine oil, spare parts and other supplies.” OCHA urged UN member states to provide additional financial resources to support ongoing aid efforts in the Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, OCHA’s partners informed the agency that the Hebron Municipality authorities had recorded that approximately 3,000 Palestinians remained displaced from two neighborhoods in the city. OCHA noted that Israeli forces were still operating in those neighborhoods, blocking the way in and imposing tight movement restrictions across the governorate. These operations were described as disrupting Palestinian access to livelihoods, education, and services such as health care.
According to OCHA, the most displaced families are staying with relatives, who have received various forms of support from local authorities and humanitarian partners. The agency stressed the importance of protecting Palestinians across the West Bank and of ensuring that displaced families are allowed to return voluntarily.
OCHA’s call to all parties was centered on their obligations to protect civilians, including humanitarian personnel. OCHA said it had mobilized rapid‑response support for the families affected by strikes or fire, but that ongoing incidents continued to pose threats to civilian safety and fundamental human services.
“Humanitarian partners have mobilized support for these families through a rapid response process,” OCHA said in a statement. The statement added that the UN’s overarching priority is to enhance protection of civilians and to secure unhindered humanitarian access in both Gaza and the West Bank.
Background
The United Nations has been closely monitoring the humanitarian impact of the Gaza conflict since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023. OCHA’s periodic briefs have repeatedly highlighted the vulnerability of civilian populations to airstrikes and other incidents, while the WHO has reported the aggravating effects of inadequate health infrastructure on disease spread. Over the past three years, with the closure of borders and the imposition of movement restrictions, the West Bank’s humanitarian profiles have also come under heightened scrutiny, particularly in areas such as Hebron where Israeli military operations persist.
Open Questions
Key unanswered issues include the extent to which humanitarian agencies will succeed in securing unrestricted passage for supplies across the Gaza Strip, the possible long‑term health consequences of respiratory and meningitis outbreaks, and how Israeli restrictions will evolve in Hebron and affect the displaced population’s ability to return or access essential services.
