{"id":311679,"date":"2025-09-22T11:50:34","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T15:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=311679"},"modified":"2025-09-25T11:52:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T15:52:58","slug":"ocha-updates-22sep25","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/ocha-updates-22sep25\/","title":{"rendered":"OCHA updates: Gaza health services under strain as hostilities cause more casualties"},"content":{"rendered":"

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22 September 2025<\/p>\n

OCHA reports that over the weekend, Israeli military operations continued across the\u00a0Gaza Strip\u00a0\u2013 with intensified air strikes and shelling in Gaza city killing or injuring scores of people.<\/p>\n

The Palestinian Civil Defense says that over the last 10 days, it carried out more than 50 rescue or recovery missions across the five governorates.<\/p>\n

Health services are under major strain. Today, the Ministry of Health in Gaza called on people to donate blood amid severe shortages in hospitals.<\/p>\n

OCHA reiterates that civilians and civilian infrastructure must always be protected and should never be a target. Civilian sites must also never be used to shield military operations.<\/p>\n

In Gaza governorate, where famine was\u00a0confirmed<\/a><\/em>\u00a0over a month ago, OCHA says that hostilities have disrupted nutrition services.\u00a0 Partners working in nutrition report that almost half of the treatment centres there are reportedly closed. This hampers efforts to detect new cases and maintain treatment for hundreds of children.<\/p>\n

On Friday, the Ministry of Health said that 162 people \u2013 including 32 children \u2013 have died from starvation and malnutrition since famine was confirmed in August.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the growing number of people moving to the south of Gaza is putting mounting pressure on already strained services available in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, where conditions are dire.<\/p>\n

Partners\u00a0report<\/a><\/em>\u00a0that people are squeezed in tents along the beach, crammed into school shelters, or sleeping in the open on the rubble of destroyed homes.<\/p>\n

Although aid organizations are overstretched, they continue to serve those in need, as much as possible.<\/p>\n

Today, seven out of 12 humanitarian missions coordinated with Israeli authorities were facilitated. While teams managed to collect health supplies from Kerem Shalom, two missions to retrieve food cargo were denied.<\/p>\n

When humanitarians are allowed to work \u2013 and when aid and commercial goods are allowed to move unimpeded into and throughout Gaza \u2013 aid organizations can save lives. It is essential for all crossings to be open and accessible. Rapid, unimpeded, safe passage inside Gaza is also critical to put an end to the suffering of people in need.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, partners at four monitoring points report that desperate families are leaving Gaza city, with many moving towards Khan Younis and Deir al Balah in the south, where there is very little space to accommodate new arrivals and displacement sites are already extremely overcrowded. At the same time, many people remain in the north and need urgent humanitarian support.<\/p>\n

UNICEF\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0yesterday that amid new displacement orders and repeated displacement in Gaza city, family separation is a growing risk. The agency called for the protection of children and families, whether they move or stay.<\/p>\n

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Related items <\/em>for detailed information on this issue:<\/em><\/p>\n