Gaza Food Security Gains at Risk as Aid Declines and Humanitarian Crisis Deepens, IPC Warns
Key Insights
The IPC reports that 67% of Gaza's population faces Crisis or worse food insecurity (search), with 1.4 million people projected to deteriorate between July and December 2026.
Aid coverage has declined since February 2026 due to funding constraints, threatening to reverse fragile gains made since the October 2025 ceasefire.
Gender-based violence (search) cases surged 27% in April–June 2026 compared to the prior quarter, while medical supply shortages hamper non-communicable disease treatment.
The humanitarian situation across the Occupied Palestinian Territory continues to deteriorate, with the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (search) (IPC) analysis warning that fragile food security gains in Gaza are at imminent risk of reversal as aid coverage declines and funding shortfalls deepen.
According to the IPC analysis released on 23 July, between mid-April and 30 June 2026, over 1.2 million people—59 percent of Gaza's population—faced Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse levels of food insecurity (search), including 212,000 people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). Looking ahead, the IPC projects a renewed deterioration, with the number of people facing Crisis or worse expected to rise to 1.4 million, or 67 percent of the population, between July and December 2026.
"The scale-up of humanitarian assistance, enabled by improved access and reduced conflict intensity following the October 2025 ceasefire announcement, has driven improvements in food security and nutrition conditions across Gaza," the IPC noted. "However, needs remain high and recent gains are highly fragile."
The analysis highlighted that aid coverage has already declined since February 2026, with further reductions expected due to funding constraints and uncertainty regarding the renewal of operational authorizations for 37 international non-governmental organizations. Coupled with continuing population displacement in an increasingly confined area as militarized zones expand, dire health and sanitation conditions, and volatile access for both humanitarian and commercial supplies, the IPC cautioned that "all these concurrent factors could rapidly trigger a sharp deterioration in food security and nutrition conditions, as livelihoods have collapsed and people have exhausted their coping mechanisms."
On the nutrition front, while acute malnutrition (search)—particularly among children—has declined significantly due to a marked scale-up of nutrition programs, the IPC estimates that approximately 74,200 children aged 6–59 months and 24,600 pregnant and breastfeeding women will continue requiring treatment through April 2027.
Rising Gender-Based Violence (search)
Women and girls in Gaza face escalating and life-threatening risks of gender-based violence (search) (GBV), with devastating consequences for their physical safety and mental wellbeing, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and suicide, according to the United Nations Population Fund (search) (UNFPA). In April–June 2026, reported GBV incidents increased by 27 percent compared with January–March 2026.
UNFPA attributes this rise to both worsening protection risks and expanded reporting linked to awareness-raising sessions provided by protection partners. The denial of resources, opportunities, and services remains the most prevalent form of GBV, while psychological violence, sexual violence, and forced marriage are increasing, particularly among adolescent girls.
Despite an increase in GBV service delivery points from 74 to 84 in recent weeks, access to life-saving services remains critically inadequate, with 17 Women and Girls' Safe Spaces still closed due to lack of funding and two others forced to close following movements of the so-called "Yellow Line."
Medical Supply Shortages
Shortages of essential medical supplies continue to hamper non-communicable disease services in Gaza. Insulin, cardiac catheterization materials, hemodialysis supplies, and critical diagnostic and monitoring equipment remain in critically short supply, hindering treatment for patients with chronic conditions.
Infectious diseases remain widespread due to overcrowding in displacement sites and poor water, hygiene, and sanitation conditions. Between 19 and 25 July, acute respiratory infections (search) remained the leading reported condition, accounting for 43.2 percent of all communicable diseases, followed by acute watery diarrhea (search) at 22 percent. Skin diseases continued to represent a significant burden, with ectoparasitic infestations (search) accounting for 18.9 percent of cases and impetigo (search) showing an upward trend at 10.8 percent.
West Bank Violence Intensifies
In the West Bank, July matched March 2026 as the deadliest month for Palestinians in settler attacks since October 2023. During the reporting period of 21 to 27 July, eight Palestinians and two members of Israeli forces were killed in Nablus, Jenin, and East Jerusalem.
In just one week, Israeli settler attacks displaced at least 20 Palestinian families and caused damage to homes, vehicles, and livelihood assets. Over 40 settler attacks resulted in casualties or property damage, with at least 16 Palestinians injured through physical assaults, stabbings, stone-throwing, and attacks involving live ammunition.
Since the beginning of 2026, more than 1,360 settler-related incidents have been documented, affecting over 250 Palestinian communities and averaging approximately 6.6 incidents per day. Demolitions, settler violence, and related access restrictions have displaced an average of 17 people per day in 2026—double the daily average recorded over the preceding three years.
Attacks on Health Care
The World Health Organization documented 53 attacks on health care in the West Bank between January and June 2026, resulting in one fatality and 23 injuries, and affecting four health facilities and 44 ambulances. Most incidents involved obstruction of access, use of force, detentions, and militarized searches. Nearly half of all documented incidents occurred in Nablus governorate.
Movement restrictions also continue to affect access to specialized health care requiring permits to enter East Jerusalem or Israel. According to WHO, during the first half of 2026, 78 percent of the 51,444 patient permit applications submitted to Israeli authorities were approved, while more than one-fifth were either denied or delayed beyond the scheduled medical appointment.
Humanitarian Access Constraints
Kerem Shalom remains the only operational crossing point into Gaza, more than two months following the closure of the Zikim Crossing in northern Gaza on 24 May. Items classified by Israeli authorities as having "dual use" face additional hurdles, with offloading at Kerem Shalom limited to one day per week, creating significant bottlenecks that delay humanitarian assistance and disrupt supply pipelines.
The UN also recorded eight cases between 6 and 26 July where individuals identifying themselves as agents of the de facto authorities searched humanitarian warehouses, causing disruptions to humanitarian operations and breaching the inviolability of United Nations premises. No alleged contraband was found in any of these searches.