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Gaza humanitarian aid

Gaza humanitarian aid: what's needed now and how to help

Nearly a year after the October 2025 ceasefire, about 1.7 million of Gaza's 2.1 million people are still displaced (WHO, 24 September 2026), and most depend on humanitarian aid for food, water, shelter and healthcare. Access is tight: as of early October 2026 cargo entered through a single crossing.

This page brings together what people need most, how aid reaches them, and the practical ways to help from abroad, including how to check any organisation before you give.

Donate to GazaHow aid reaches Gaza

Last reviewed · Fight for Palestine editorial team

At a glance — from the sources below

people still displaced, out of a population of 2.1 million (WHO, 24 September 2026)
~1.7 million
people still displaced, out of a population of 2.1 million (WHO, 24 September 2026)
WHO, September 24, 2026
people (67%) in crisis-level hunger or worse
1.4 million
people (67%) in crisis-level hunger or worse
UN News, July 23, 2026
hospitals functioning even partially, and none fully (WHO, September 2026)
19 of 36
hospitals functioning even partially, and none fully (WHO, September 2026)
WHO, September 24, 2026

The situation in Gaza now

A ceasefire was announced on 10 October 2025, but life has not returned to normal. OCHA reported 1,431 people killed and 5,026 injured between the ceasefire announcement and 30 September 2026, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health.

Nearly all of Gaza's roughly 2.1 million people live within the limits of the Israeli-controlled "yellow line", and WHO said on 24 September 2026 that about 1.7 million remain displaced, many in tents and damaged buildings. (A UN News report of 12 September 2026 put the number displaced at 2.1 million, the whole population; OCHA's latest reports don't give a separate count.) Kerem Shalom was still the only crossing operating for cargo in OCHA's 2 October 2026 report, and shortages of fuel, engine oil, spare parts and shelter materials continue to limit the aid response.

What people need most

Needs overlap: a family without clean water is more likely to fall ill, and a family that can't afford food can't afford to replace a flooded tent. The main areas of need are:

Food

In July 2026 the IPC reported 1.4 million people in crisis-level hunger or worse, including about 212,000 in emergency conditions. Food parcels, community kitchens and cash assistance keep most families going. Read more about Gaza food aid, whether there is famine in Gaza and child malnutrition.

Water and sanitation

UNICEF reported in mid-2026 that up to 70% of people couldn't collect the minimum 6 litres a day for drinking and cooking. In WASH Cluster monitoring in August 2026, 57% of assessed households were below that minimum for drinking water, and OCHA reported on 2 October 2026 that 74% of the population relied on trucked drinking water. Water trucking, desalination and hygiene supplies are essential. Read more about water aid for Gaza.

Shelter and winter

With most people displaced, shelter is a constant need, and winter makes it urgent: last winter's storms affected some 65,000 households. See Gaza winter relief, how many people are displaced and what Gaza's winter weather is like.

Health

On 24 September 2026 WHO said only 19 of Gaza's 36 hospitals were functioning even partially, and none fully. Shortages of fuel, engine oil and spare parts, reported by OCHA in September 2026, limit the wider response too. More on Gaza's hospitals and medical evacuations.

Children

Children face all of these risks at once. UNICEF reported that at least 11 children died from hypothermia last winter, and malnutrition, unsafe water and disrupted schooling continue to affect children across Gaza.

Explainers: the numbers behind the crisis

Short, sourced answers to the questions people search for most:

How aid gets into Gaza

Aid enters by truck through controlled crossings, where it's inspected, and is then distributed by UN agencies and local organisations as goods, meals or digital cash. Restrictions on some items and a single cargo crossing mean supply rarely meets need. Our guide to how aid reaches Gaza explains each step.

How to help people in Gaza

From abroad, these are the most useful things you can do:

  • Donate money rather than goods. Organisations can buy in bulk or locally and adapt to what's needed; individual parcels can't get through the crossings.
  • Check before you give. Use our guide to donating safely to Gaza, which also links to the official charity registers in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa.
  • Give early for seasonal needs, such as winter shelter, so supplies can arrive in time.
  • Share reliable information. UN OCHA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO publish regular updates, and passing on accurate figures helps more than viral posts.
  • If you can't give money, there is still a lot you can do: see how to help Gaza without money.

Fight for Palestine

What Fight for Palestine does

Fight for Palestine raises donations for food, water, shelter and winter support for displaced families in Gaza, delivered through local partner teams. Where we work and our projects describe the programmes, and donations are made in crypto through a one-time address for each gift, created on our donate page.

We don't yet publish a charity registration number, partner names or distribution reports; our transparency page sets out what we do publish. The figures on this page come from UN and humanitarian sources and describe Gaza as a whole, not our own work.

Questions people ask

What is the humanitarian situation in Gaza now?
Nearly a year after the October 2025 ceasefire, about 1.7 million people remain displaced (WHO, September 2026), 1.4 million face crisis-level hunger or worse (IPC, July 2026), clean water is scarce, and no hospital is fully functional. Aid is entering, but through one cargo crossing and with restrictions.
What aid does Gaza need most?
Food, clean water, shelter (especially before winter) and medical supplies. The balance shifts with the season and with what can get in, which is why flexible cash donations to organisations working there are usually most useful.
How can I help people in Palestine from abroad?
Donate to an organisation you've checked, give early for seasonal needs like winter, and share accurate information from sources such as UN OCHA. Our guide to donating safely covers the checks.
Is it better to donate money or goods to Gaza?
Money. Individuals can't send goods through the crossings, and organisations can use money to buy what's most needed, locally when markets have stock.

Sources

  1. 1.UN News, “‘Where do we go?’: How Israel’s ‘yellow line’ is closing in on Palestinians”, September 12, 2026. View source
  2. 2.UN News, “Gaza’s food gains could unravel without sustained aid, UN warns”, July 23, 2026. View source
  3. 3.UNICEF State of Palestine, “UNICEF in the State of Palestine Humanitarian Situation Update”, February 5, 2026. View source
  4. 4.UN OCHA, “Humanitarian Situation Report | 18 September 2026”, September 18, 2026. View source
  5. 5.UNICEF State of Palestine, “Humanitarian Situation Update – WASH in the Gaza Strip”, May 29, 2026. View source
  6. 6.UN News, “Winter storms upended thousands in Gaza”, January 6, 2026. View source
  7. 7.WHO, “WHO Director-General's remarks at the UNGA side event 'Humanitarian access and health in Gaza' – ministerial roundtable”, September 24, 2026. View source
  8. 8.UN OCHA, “Humanitarian Situation Report | 2 October 2026”, October 2, 2026. View source
  9. 9.UN OCHA, “Reported impact snapshot | Gaza Strip (23 September 2026)”, September 23, 2026. View source

Figures come from the organisations cited and describe Gaza as a whole, not Fight for Palestine's own work. Conditions change quickly; check the source for the latest update.

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