How does aid get into Gaza?

The route in: crossings and inspections

Aid for Gaza is bought abroad or in the region, moved to a crossing point, inspected, and then handed over to humanitarian organisations on the Gaza side. Which crossings are open changes over time. In early 2026 three were handling cargo; by September 2026 OCHA reported that Kerem Shalom was the only operational crossing for cargo, and that was still the case in its 2 October 2026 report.

The Rafah crossing with Egypt reopened on 2 February 2026, with EU monitors, for a controlled number of passengers; it doesn't handle cargo. It has become a route for medical evacuations: between 1 and 15 September 2026, 270 patients and 299 caregivers were evacuated through Rafah and Kerem Shalom.

Since December 2023, UN Security Council resolution 2720 has provided for a UN mechanism to speed up and track humanitarian consignments into Gaza, alongside a senior UN coordinator for humanitarian and reconstruction work.

What slows aid down

The main constraints reported by UN agencies in 2026:

• One crossing for cargo. Any disruption at Kerem Shalom affects the whole supply. The share of authorised UN and partner truckloads actually offloaded there fell from 86% at the end of August 2026 to 52% in the week to 20 September, then recovered to 88% in the week to 27 September; trucks coming through the Egyptian corridor were the most often returned or rejected (OCHA, 25 September and 2 October 2026).
• Restricted items. Some goods are classified as "dual-use", which has included drainage equipment, heaters, solar equipment, cement and timber. In September 2026 OCHA said restrictions on tents, tarpaulins and other critical items were still hampering preparations for winter.
• Shortages of machinery, fuel, engine oil and spare parts, which OCHA said in September 2026 were limiting work such as clearing damaged buildings and helping families relocate from flood-prone areas.
• Access inside Gaza. Almost the whole population lives within the limits of the Israeli-controlled "yellow line", and many of the hungriest families are in areas near it where access is hardest.
• Fewer organisations on the ground. Israeli authorities planned to bar 37 international aid organisations from operating in Gaza and the West Bank from 1 March 2026, according to Human Rights Watch.

Who distributes aid inside Gaza

Inside Gaza, aid is handed out by UN agencies, including WFP, UNICEF and UNRWA's local staff, and by Palestinian and international organisations and community groups. It reaches people in several ways:

• Food parcels and flour distributed through distribution points.
• Community kitchens cooking hot meals: 732,000 a day through 102 kitchens as of 10 September 2026.
• Water trucked to displacement sites and shelters.
• Shelter kits, blankets and hygiene items.
• Digital cash and e-wallet transfers, which aid agencies have used in Gaza since 2024 so families can buy what they need in local markets.

Does aid reach Gaza?

Yes, every day, but not in the quantities needed. In the first half of September 2026, UN partners reached 121,000 households with food parcels. Because of stock shortages, each family received one parcel and one flour bag, enough for about half of its minimum calorie needs. The gap between what arrives and what's needed is mostly about access and supply, not about donors' money going missing.

Where does my donation go?

When you donate from abroad, your money usually follows one of three paths. The organisation buys goods outside Gaza and moves them through the crossings. It buys goods inside Gaza from local markets when they have stock. Or it funds cash assistance so families buy for themselves. Good organisations use whichever works best at the time and can tell you which they used.

For a crypto donation, the first step is visible to you: the transfer and its arrival are recorded on a public blockchain. After that, you rely on the organisation's own reporting, which is why the questions in our guide to donating safely matter.