UNICEF State of Palestine Humanitarian Situation Report No. 36 - 1 to 28 February 2025

HIGHLIGHTS

• In February, there was an improvement in the delivery of vital, lifesaving assistance to communities in Gaza following the ceasefire on 19 January.
• The Israeli operation in the northern West Bank, starting in Jenin on 21 January, impacted Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas governorates. According to UNRWA, the ongoing operation caused the largest displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967, with around 40,000 people displaced.
• On 26 February, the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza concluded, reaching 602,795 children under 10 years of age, 102 per cent of the target.
• UNICEF provided cash assistance to 57,209 people (19,043 families, including 28,604 children), helping them return home and cover basic needs.
• On 23 February, the Ministry of Education launched the compressed academic year for 2024- 2025 in Gaza, marking the first return to in-person learning since October 2023.
• Despite increasing humanitarian needs, UNICEF faced a US$578 million funding shortfall

SITUATION IN NUMBERS

• 1,554,700 Children in need of humanitarian assistance
• 3,300,000 People in need of humanitarian assistance
• 1,900,000 Internally displaced persons (90% of Gaza Strip)
• 534 Schools in the Gaza Strip sustained damage (94.7%)

SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

• Gaza Strip As of 28 February 2025, 48,388 Palestinians had been killed, including over 15,000 children, and 111,803 were injured, with around 25,700 children among them. Additionally, 387 aid workers lost their lives, and 670 attacks on healthcare were recorded by 14 February, affecting 122 facilities, including 34 hospitals and 170 ambulances. Severe cold weather between 24 and 25 February claimed the lives of six newborns in Gaza City and Khan Younis due to hypothermia.
• Since the ceasefire on 19 January, the delivery of vital assistance to Gaza has improved. UNICEF’s Post Distribution Monitoring showed improvements in dietary diversity, particularly for children and pregnant women. The increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, eggs, and dairy products, along with better access to supplementary feeding programmes, has contributed to steady improvements in acute malnutrition rates.
• Although water availability slightly exceeded humanitarian standards, 60 per cent of the water was unsuitable for drinking, as it was brackish.WASH infrastructure was heavily damaged, with over 80 per cent of Rafah’s water system destroyed and significant damage in North Gaza and Gaza City, where 60 per cent of wells were destroyed and most water networks were severed.
• On 23 February, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) launched a compressed academic year in Gaza. By 27 February, 100,500 students had enrolled in 108 schools, although many schools were operating in three shifts, and over half of students had to sit on the floor due to a lack of furniture. There was a shortage of teachers, with many unable to return to work, and inadequate facilities further hindered the learning environment. The Ministry’s assessment of school damage revealed that 70 schools had been completely destroyed, and many others suffered varying degrees of damage.

unicef_state_of_palestine_humanitarian_situation_report_no._36_-_28_february_2025.pdf

unicef_state_of_palestine_humanitarian_situation_report_no._36_-_28_february_2025.pdf