oPt: Humanitarian Situation Report | 19 March 2026
Country: occupied Palestinian territory Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. Highlights Families across the Occupied Palestinian Territory are concluding the month of Ramadan amid deepening humanitarian needs and heightened exposure to violence, displacement and destruction of property; UN human rights officials warn of a pattern of unlawful killings. In the Gaza Strip , reports of airstrikes and other attacks hitting civilian areas continue, while over the weekend, a strong dust storm damaged the shelters and belongings of hundreds of families in displacement sites. In the West Bank , settler attacks have become more severe, with a 54 per cent increase in injuries and a more than fourfold increase in related displacement this year compared with 2025 averages. Access to Gaza remains restricted, with Kerem Shalom being the only operational crossing point for humanitarian and commercial supplies, resulting in a major bottleneck; meanwhile, the Israeli authorities have announced the resumption of limited medical evacuations and returns through Rafah crossing. Overview Families across the Occupied Palestinian Territory have observed the month of Ramadan amid tightened restrictions and heightened risks to their safety. The UN Human Rights Office ( OHCHR ) has raised alarm over a pattern of unlawful killings following incidents on 15 March in which two Palestinian families were reportedly killed by Israeli fire in Gaza and the West Bank. The office warned that these incidents, alongside escalating settler attacks and intimidation against Palestinian communities, raise serious concerns about impunity and protection risks for civilians. In the Gaza Strip , most people remain displaced, often living in dire conditions with limited protection and inadequate access to diverse and sufficient supplies, while continuing to face daily shooting and strikes hitting residential areas. Casualties continue to be reported including among children and women. The Israeli authorities have announced that the Rafah Crossing will reopen for the resumption of limited movement of people, namely medical evacuation and returns. Kerem Shalom remains the only operational crossing for cargo, creating a major bottleneck for incoming supplies. In the West Bank , including East Jerusalem, the humanitarian situation has further deteriorated. This is marked by rising casualties, intensified violence by Israeli settlers, and increased risk of eviction. Displacement linked to settler attacks and access restrictions so far in 2026 has already reached about 95 per cent of the total numbers recorded in the whole of 2025. Since the beginning of March, intensified movement restrictions have limited people’s access to land, livelihoods and essential services, and further exacerbated a pre-existing coercive environment that pushes people out of their homes and communities. These risks have intensified in the context of regional escalation, which has led to fatalities and injuries as well as property damage. Gaza Strip Airstrikes, shelling, and gunfire continued across the Gaza Strip, reportedly resulting in civilian casualties. On 15 March, an airstrike in the Az Zawayda area of Deir al Balah reportedly killed a man, his pregnant wife, their son, and another boy. Later in the day, an unmanned aerial vehicle reportedly struck a car, also in Az Zawayda, killing eight Palestinian police personnel, according to the UN Human Rights Office ( OHCHR ). Overall, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, between 6 and 17 March, 35 Palestinians were killed, one succumbed to wounds, three bodies were retrieved and 95 people were injured. Since the announcement of the ceasefire in October 2025, 673 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, according to MoH. On 14 March, a severe sandstorm accompanied by strong winds affected multiple areas across the Gaza Strip, followed by rainfall that further worsened already fragile living conditions in displacement sites. The high winds caused extensive damage to temporary shelters and site infrastructure, particularly those built from lightweight materials with limited reinforcement. According to the Site Management Cluster, 894 households were affected in displacement sites, with 29 family shelters destroyed and 32 damaged, along with several education, nutrition and child protection facilities. Humanitarian partners have been responding to alerts from affected families, with 76 households having already received multisectoral assistance packages, 689 households having received tarpaulins and seven having received a 50-square-metre plastic-film roll as of 17 March. Efforts continue to assess and attend to the remaining alerts. In addition, 80 households affected by airstrikes received multisectoral assistance packages, including tarpaulins, clothing kits, blankets, and cereals between 8 and 14 March. Market conditions remain volatile. Between 9 and 15 March, food prices continued fluctuating sharply, with the prices of some items, such as oranges, rising by 84 per cent compared with the previous week and the prices of other items increasing by 5 to 30 per cent. The prices of staples like chicken, rice, sugar and flour have dropped back to levels recorded before the regional escalation. Prices of non‐food items remained stable. Compared with pre‐October 2023 levels, inflation has reached 305 per cent so far in March, up from 153 per cent in February. Cash‐out commissions remained stable. Shortages and high price of cooking gas will affect families’ observation of Eid al Fitr. Humanitarian operations in Gaza continue despite ongoing constraints. As of 19 March, the Kerem Shalom Crossing remained the only operational entry point to Gaza. The Zikim Crossing in the north is closed until further notice. Rafah Crossing reopened on 19 March for limited movement of people in both directions, allowing the resumption of medical evacuations and returnee movements that have been paused since the regional escalation on 28 February.
2026-03-23 07:53:09