During the ceasefire in Gaza, we provided life-saving aid to thousands of people. But after Israel reimposed a total siege and resumed hostilities, people in Gaza are once again facing starvation and death.
Israel’s siege and new airstrikes are cutting the lifeline to Gaza
On 19 January, a ceasefire brought a brief respite from the relentless death and destruction in Gaza, allowing humanitarian organisations like the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to scale up their emergency response efforts.
“However, with Israel blocking all humanitarian aid into Gaza since 2 March, this critical lifeline has been severed, plunging over two million people back into extreme deprivation,” says Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
On 19 January, a ceasefire brought a brief respite from the relentless death and destruction in Gaza, allowing humanitarian organisations like the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) to scale up their emergency response efforts.
“However, with Israel blocking all humanitarian aid into Gaza since 2 March, this critical lifeline has been severed, plunging over two million people back into extreme deprivation,” says Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
NRC’s emergency response during the 58 days of ceasefire
The humanitarian needs in Gaza were immense even before the ceasefire took effect. Most homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving families without shelter, food or clean water. Despite ongoing challenges, with support from private and institutional donors, we delivered essential aid to Palestinian civilians during the ceasefire, including:
Emergency shelter: More than 13,500 people received emergency shelter support, including tents and weatherproofing kits to help them survive the harsh winter conditions in temporary shelters.
Cash assistance: Over 21,500 people benefitted from cash assistance to help them meet their most immediate needs.
Clean water: We provided daily safe drinking water to more than 130,000 people across 73 sites, addressing the urgent water crisis.
Hygiene and cleaning supplies: 4,101 families received hygiene and cleaning kits, which included nappies, soap, feminine hygiene products and cleaning supplies. 30,000 more kits were on the way, until the complete siege on aid halted deliveries.
Psychosocial support and education: 1,609 children received psychosocial support and took part in recreational activities in 11 temporary learning spaces.
Legal assistance: Over 1,800 people, the majority of them women, attended legal awareness sessions on housing, land and property rights, while 580 people received legal counselling.
Protection services: Our caseworkers provided tailored case management and support to hundreds of individuals facing acute protection risks.
Population movement monitoring: We tracked movement across more than 600 displacement sites to improve aid coordination and ensure people in need were reached.
This scale-up of aid, made possible by increased humanitarian access during the ceasefire, was still far from enough to meet the overwhelming needs of Gaza’s population. Yet, it offered a glimmer of hope and relief for hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in a war zone.
A cycle of mass death, destruction and displacement
The Israeli airstrikes on 18 March shattered the ceasefire, killing families in their homes and displacing countless civilians across Gaza. The attacks risk plunging Gaza into yet another cycle of mass death, destruction and displacement.
“Palestinian civilians have endured 17 months of relentless hostilities. After weeks of a total aid blockade, they are now left with little food, clean water or medical care. Famine may take hold among families already surviving on scraps,” says Egeland.
35 aid trucks stuck at the border
NRC has been unable to bring in aid since 2 March. We have more than 35 trucks of supplies waiting on the Egyptian side of the border.
“Our NRC aid workers remain on duty in Gaza, but relentless airstrikes alongside the prohibition on aid and commercial supplies make aid operations nearly impossible,” says Egeland.
A catastrophic setback
With the Israeli government halting the entry of all aid into Gaza, and new airstrikes killing, injuring and displacing people, the humanitarian crisis has escalated rapidly. Food supplies are running out, hospitals are unable to function, and access to clean water is severely restricted. The impact of this siege is devastating:
- The supply of tents for displaced families has completely stopped, leaving thousands without shelter.
- Drinking water is running low due to the lack of fuel and electricity needed to operate desalination plants and wells.
- Hospitals are on the brink of collapse, unable to secure essential medical supplies, putting countless wounded and sick civilians at risk.
- Humanitarian staff on the ground report rising malnutrition and disease, with conditions set to deteriorate further if aid remains blocked.
The ceasefire, though short-lived, showed that even in the face of enormous destruction, humanitarian organisations can provide relief and save lives – if allowed to operate.
“The longer the delay, the greater the suffering. And the path to any resolution grows more distant. A ceasefire is not just necessary – it is the only way to prevent further catastrophe,” says Egeland.
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