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Day 15 of the War 

Key Points

Gaza

A further 13 UNRWA staff have been confirmed killed, bringing the total to 29 staff killed since 7 October. At least 20 IDPs were injured when a strike hit a building adjacent to an UNRWA school where about 5,000 IDPs were sheltering. Since the beginning of the conflict, nearly 180 IDPs sheltering at UNRWA schools have been injured and 12 killed. On 21 October, the Rafah crossing with Egypt opened for the first time since 8 October, allowing the entry of 20 trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies. UNRWA continues to call for a safe, unconditional and unimpeded humanitarian corridor to bring critical aid to the people of Gaza.

Overall Situation

Gaza

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, 4,385 people have been killed since 7 October, including 1,756 children and 967 women; a further 13,561 persons were injured. Overall, about 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, according to the Israeli authorities, the vast majority on 7 October (OCHA). Nearly 406,000 IDPs are sheltering in 91 UNRWA installations in Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas. This represents an increase of 22,000 IDPs over the past 24 hours[1]. UNRWA shelters were designed to host 1,500-2,000 IDPs per shelter, however, the average number of IDPs per shelter is 4,400, reaching 19,600 in the most crowded shelter. The overcrowding rate for UNRWA shelters based on the average number of IDPs per shelter is approximately 251.43%. This means that, on average, the shelters are hosting about 2.51 times the designed capacity. In the most crowded shelter, in the most severe level of overcrowding, with more than 11 times the designed capacity. ​

West Bank, including East Jerusalem

The situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is increasingly tense. The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or settlers since 7 October has reached 84, including 27 children (OCHA).

Humanitarian Access, Protection of Civilians

Gaza

Among those killed are 29 UNRWA employees, while a further 17 have been injured since 7 October. In the afternoon of 21 October, due to a strike hitting a building adjacent to an UNRWA school in Khan Yunis, where about 3,600 IDPs were sheltering, at least 20 IDPs were injured. Since the beginning of the conflict, nearly 180 IDPs sheltering at UNRWA schools have been injured and 12 have been killed. In the same incident, the UNRWA school in Khan Yunis sustained severe collateral damage due to a strike nearby. 38 UNRWA installations have been impacted by strikes since 7 October.

West Bank, including East Jerusalem

Movements of Palestinians in the West Bank, including Palestine refugees and UNRWA staff, continue to be significantly limited, due to movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli Authorities. Access routes to major cities have been obstructed for vehicular movement, and Palestinians also face restrictions on using main roads. UNRWA continues to provide services, supported by staff living in close proximity to UNRWA premises and installations.

UNRWA Response

Gaza

UNRWA Shelters

Living conditions in the UNRWA schools used as shelters are dire. Up to 70 people share space in one classroom. To ensure a safer environment, at night women and children are accommodated in classrooms while men and adolescent boys remain outdoors in the schoolyard. UNRWA has counsellors and social workers in the shelters, who are able to provide psychological first aid and other specialized protection services. Since the beginning of the crisis, 3,850 individuals have been provided with psychosocial support and social work intervention services by UNRWA social workers. An assessment of the specific needs of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable people is ongoing.

Health

Health care continued to be provided in the shelters through mobile medical teams and mobile medical points. These are meant to provide special assistance to thousands of people including those with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), pregnant women and post-natal cases. Stocks of fuel and medicines continue to be at risk of depletion halting UNRWA operations at the health centres.

Sanitation Services/WASH

Some solid waste collection from the camps and from emergency shelters and transfer to landfills continues in Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas. The scarcity of fuel and staff is negatively impacting solid waste management activities. Water wells in Jabalia, Khan Younis and Rafah are functional, with about 10,000 cubic metres pumped from nine water wells daily. Despite the limited availability of fuel, desalination plants continue to operate in the shelters for provision of drinkable water. Water trucking operations to the shelters in Rafah and Khan Younis areas also continue. However, the number of available water trucks is not sufficient to provide water to all shelters and water tanks can be refilled only once a day. Considering the number of people in the shelters, the water provided is insufficient to meet the needs of the IDPs in UNRWA’s shelters. UNRWA teams are conducting continuous maintenance and rehabilitation works at tens of shelters. These include plumbing, electrical, metal, carpentry works to repair damages and upgrades to support increasing numbers of IDPs. -Ends

[1] Nearly 160,000 IDPs were sheltering in 57 UNRWA schools in the North and Gaza areas as of 12 October 2023, before the evacuation order. UNRWA is not able to assist those persons at this time and does not have information on their needs and conditions.