$1.2B required to meet needs of 2.7M people in Gaza, West Bank: UN humanitarian affairs office

GENEVA (AA) – The cost of meeting the needs of 2.7 million people in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank is estimated to be $1.2 billion, the UN humanitarian affairs office has said.

Spokesperson Jens Laerke told a UN press briefing in Geneva that the agency will update its flash appeal accordingly on Monday, noting that the initial appeal, launched on October 12, asked for $294 million to support nearly 1.3 million people.

Responding to a question, Laerke said only 25% of the initial appeal is funded to date.

On the number of displaced people, he said the figure has swelled to nearly 1.5 million in Gaza.

This includes nearly 700,000 people sheltering in 149 UNRWA facilities, “reaching almost four times their intended capacity,” he added.

“To give you a picture, this means that in some shelters up to 240 people are living in classrooms of 40 to 60 square metres,” he said, giving the example of the Khan Younis Training Centre. He said the center is currently hosting 22,100 displaced people, “more than ten times its capacity.”

The Israeli army has expanded its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since October 7.

Over 9,200 Palestinians have perished, primarily women and children.

As many as 102 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing on Thursday, the largest convoy since delivery of aid resumed on Oct. 21, bringing the total number of trucks that entered to 374, according to the UN.

The entry of fuel, which is desperately needed to operate life-saving equipment, however, remains banned by the Israeli authorities.​​​​​​​