Israel-Gaza conflict: people await news of loved ones in Israel and famine looms in Gaza
Here’s the latest news explaining what's happening in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and how the Red Cross and Crescent Movement is supporting people affected.
Last updated 21 June 2024
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Over the last eight months, we have seen some of the worst violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in recent years. The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement will remain on the ground, providing support and vital aid to affected communities on all sides.
Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory conflict: summary of latest news
- More than 1,200* people have been killed in Israel and 36,171* in the Gaza Strip
- In Israel, more than 100,000* people have been displaced from their homes, many of these evacuated from the border areas
- Much of Gaza is now unliveable. People are facing vast levels of suffering, and are going through a catastrophic food crisis.
*OCHA
Read: Gaza humanitarian crisis: Resources run out and displacement soars
What is the situation like for people in Israel and Gaza?
Over the last eight months, civilians have overwhelmingly borne the brunt of the hostilities in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement continues to urge the parties to the conflict to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties and further harm to civilians.
The situation in Israel
The families of over 200 hostages endured months of terrible suffering, and for more than 100 hostages and their families, this ordeal continues.
Many families have had no news of their loved ones, seven months on. With the help of the ICRC, 109 hostages were reunited with their loved ones mostly during last year’s pause in hostilities.
Communities in Israel continue to be affected by the conflict, particularly border communities near Gaza and Lebanon.
Over 1,200 people lost their lives in the attacks of 7 October, more than 100,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and people continue to seek shelter from the conflict almost daily. Homes and damaged infrastructure will need to be rebuilt in future.
The ICRC continues to call for the immediate release of all hostages taken from Israel.
Have people in Israel been displaced from their homes during the conflict?
Over 100,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Israel, many of these evacuated from the border areas near Gaza and Lebanon.
Some left their homes with nothing more than the clothes on their back and therefore need food, shelter, permanent lodging, and schooling.
People continue to seek shelter from the conflict, and homes and other buildings that have been damaged will need to be rebuilt in the future.
Staff and volunteers from Magen David Adom (MDA) in Israel have been working round the clock to treat casualties, and provide ambulances and life-saving first aid to all those who need it.
The situation in Gaza
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening every day and has become a humanitarian catastrophe. The country is facing a catastrophic food crisis.
More than 75% of the population have been displaced in Gaza have been forced to leave their homes, and are living in the streets, makeshift shelters, or tents.
In addition, the healthcare system has crumbled, and disease is taking hold in sheltered communities.
The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is working together to address the immense humanitarian needs in Gaza.
- Read more about the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza
- The Red Cross responds to vast medical needs in Gaza
- How is aid getting into Gaza?
Map of Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory
What has the Red Cross been doing to help people in Gaza and Israel?
Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers are working day and night to bring life-saving assistance and medical treatment to the men, women and children who need it most – whoever and wherever they are.
As local and national responders, both the Magen David Adom in Israel (MDA) and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) have a trusted relationship with their local communities – established over many years.
This gives them a unique ability to provide far-reaching humanitarian and medical services, which are essential in the current emergency and for recovery in the future.
Tragically, 20 members of the PRCS, six members of the MDA, and an ICRC driver have lost their lives in the line of duty. This is unacceptable.
Several volunteers from both PRCS and MDA have been injured. We stand with our colleagues who have risked and even lost their lives while providing vital assistance to those who need it most over the course of this conflict.
How we’re supporting people in Israel and Gaza:
Magen David Adom
In Israel, Magen David Adom:
- mobilised 1,500 ambulances and 10,000 first responders on 7 October
- has treated more than 4,000 patients
- collected, tested, and processed more than 118,000 units of blood
- conducted trauma first aid training sessions for 60,000 people
- received over 18,000 trucks of humanitarian aid for distribution in Gaza
- reached over 1.5m people with food parcels, blankets, mattresses, tents, hygiene kits and other essentials
- supported over 200,000 people with health services
- provided psychosocial support to over 70,000 people
- reached more than 18,000 people with emergency medical services
- responded to 4,052 injuries
- delivered food parcels to 42,840 people
The ICRC has supported training on stress management to frontline health workers and to the Association of Rape Crisis Centres in Israel.
Palestine Red Crescent Society
In the Gaza Strip PRCS teams have:
An ICRC medical team has been stationed at the European Gaza Hospital since late October. Two teams have rotated deployments and have carried out more than 1,625 surgical procedures.
In the West Bank PRCS teams have:
Staff and volunteers from Magen David Adom in Israel have been working round the clock to respond to urgent needs.
PHOTO: Magen David Adom
Palestine Red Crescent staff and volunteers distribute aid deliveries in Gaza.
PHOTO: Palestine Red Crescent
How is the ICRC supporting people in Gaza and Israel?
The ICRC, present in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1967, is working closely with PRCS and MDA in Israel, to support a coordinated and collective Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement response.
The ICRC continues to remind all sides of their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.
It strives to maintain family contacts and reunite families and continues to be deeply involved in the humanitarian response in Gaza, including in the delivery of healthcare and the provision of essentials and cash assistance.
The ICRC, has since the beginning, advocated on behalf of the hostages still held in Gaza, calling for hostages to be released unconditionally. It has also asked to be allowed to visit the hostages to check on their health and conditions.
The ICRC also calls to be allowed to visit Palestinians in Israeli detention and for Palestinian detainees to be treated humanely and be permitted to communicate with family.
In May the ICRC has established a 60-bed field hospital in Rafah to help address the overwhelming medical needs created by the ongoing conflict.
The hospital has been established with the help of 12 National Societies and in coordination with PRCS. Every day, the hospital will be able to provide medical care for 200 people and provide emergency surgery, obstetric, maternal and paediatric services.
To date, ICRC has:
- provided essential items to more than 1 million internally displaced people in Gaza
- helped more than 1,000,000 people access clean water
- provided cash assistance to 50,000 vulnerable people in Gaza
- provided 847 metric tonnes of medical supplies to eight health facilities in Gaza, allowing 30,000 people to receive emergency medical care
- performed 2,987 surgical procedures and provided 2,633 physiotherapy sessions and 1,500 emotional support sessions at the European Gaza Hospital
- opened a 60-bed field hospital in Rafah, providing medical care for 200 people a day, including emergency surgical, obstetric, maternal and paediatric care
- facilitated the release of 109 hostages and 154 Palestinian detainees in Israeli places of detention during the pause in fighting last year
How to help people in Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel
The best and quickest way to help people affected is by donating to our Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory Appeal.
Donations made to the Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory Appeal will help our teams on the ground respond to changing events and provide life-saving emergency humanitarian aid and medical operations in the region.
DONATE to the Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory Appeal
What has the role of the Red Cross been in Israel and the Occupied Territory in recent times?
The ICRC has been present in Israel and the occupied territories since 1967. As a neutral, independent humanitarian organisation, it promotes compliance with international humanitarian law and works to lessen the impact of violence, conflict and occupation on civilians.
The ICRC visits detainees in Israeli and Palestinian places of detention and works to maintain family links through the Family Visit Programme. They also support livelihood projects throughout the Occupied Territory and help improve access to essential services like water and electricity in Gaza.
They stand up for people impacted by conflict and promote their rights and dignity, and consistently remind parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law though dialogue.
Magen David Adom offers a variety of support across Israel through ambulance services, providing medical equipment and first aid training. It also provides a blood service to Israelis, distributing over 300,000 units of blood via blood bags that cost over £3,500,000 every year.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society offers support through emergency medical services, disaster management, as well as mental health and psychosocial support.
It was also the first Palestinian organisation in both Palestine and the diaspora to embody and adopt the concept of volunteering.
Has the ICRC helped transfer hostages?
On Friday 24 November, teams from the ICRC began a multi-day operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages held in Gaza, and of Palestinian detainees to the West Bank.
In total, the ICRC facilitated the release of 109 hostages held in Gaza, and 154 Palestinian detainees in Israel.
Although some hostages have been reunited with their loved ones, there are still families who are worried sick about loved ones taken hostage.
The ICRC continues to advocate on behalf of the remaining hostages held in Gaza and is working to secure their release.
Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC's regional director for the Near and Middle East says: "The deep pain that family members separated from their loved ones feel is indescribable.
"Our deep desire is for all hostages to be released, and that civilians be shielded from the pain and suffering that armed conflict brings."
Are you working with governments?
We don’t work for governments, but we do work with them, where necessary to achieve strictly humanitarian aims.
Governed by our principles of neutrality and impartiality, we respond to humanitarian need no matter what the cause of the crisis.
The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies consists of national societies in 191 countries around the world and members include the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the Magen David Adom.
All national societies are independent of government and respond to crises based on humanitarian need alone.
We are deeply concerned about the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory and send our heartfelt wishes of solidarity to those personally affected by the events, and to our partner organisations on the ground.
Have you been affected by the situation in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory?
We have also created an advice page if you're currently in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
More on the Israel and OPT crisis
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