What’s happening in Gaza and Israel?

Last updated: 02 January 2024

• Just a small percentage of typical food supplies have been delivered to Gaza
• More than 2 million people urgently need food.
• Each person has access to limited water each day.

On Saturday 7 October, Hamas, and other armed Palestinian armed groups carried out appalling, brutal attacks on civilians in Israel killing over 1200 people and taking 240 people as hostage.

The Government of Israel responded by undertaking ongoing airstrikes into Gaza resulting in catastrophic casualties.

Israel also announced it was stopping all supplies of food, fuel and water from entering Gaza.

More than 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the first 12 weeks of the conflict, with thousands more injured.

Over 2.3 million people in Gaza are trapped under siege.

The ongoing airstrikes and bombardment have forced 1.9 million people from their homes, many more than once.

They are sheltering together in over-crowded schools, mosques, tents and make-shift shelters and with family and friends with no power and limited access to water, food, hygiene, and health services. Meanwhile rockets launched from Gaza have forced people across Israel into bomb shelters.

Even before Israel announced total siege on Gaza, a blockade has been in place for over 16 years. It has devastated Gaza's economy, left most people unable to leave Gaza, restricted them from essential services such as healthcare, and cut Palestinians off from each other. 80% of people in Gaza already relied on international aid to survive.

That Saturday was the deadliest day for Israelis in their history. And this comes after a year of attacks against both Palestinian and Israeli civilians. Even prior to the escalation of hostilities this week, this year marked the highest recorded fatalities in the West Bank the UN has recorded since 2005.

But tensions have escalated for decades and Palestine has been under military occupation for more than 56 years. It is abundantly clear that military force cannot resolve this conflict. Violations and violence are not bringing us any closer to the peace that Palestinians and Israelis need and deserve.

We condemn all attacks, violence and targeting of Palestinian and Israeli civilians. Attacks that target civilians are never justifiable. All parties must respect international law and cease their attacks. We have witnessed the deadliest day for civilians in the history of modern Israel and the deadliest year in the West Bank since UN records began.

Every life - Palestinian and Israeli - should be valued and treated with humanity. The cycle of violence must end. We refuse to be divided in our call for lasting peace and justice. We are calling on our government to hear us and act.

We’ll keep updating this page with more information about our response through our partners in Gaza.

Oxfam implores the international community to use its utmost influence to intervene. Israel has an obligation to obey international humanitarian law and distinguish between military and civilian targets. We call on it to immediately recall this order and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

We have been working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel since the 1950s. We work with the most vulnerable communities in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem, where the government of Israel maintains full military and civil control.

Our decision to respond in any crisis is always driven by humanitarian need alone - ensuring that people most in need of help are prioritised and taking into account the ability of states to provide assistance for its people.

The Israeli government and local and national organisations have the capacity to meet the current needs in Israel. Oxfam’s humanitarian appeal is therefore focused on providing help to people affected by the crisis in Gaza. While Oxfam is currently not responding in Israel, we do have partners there and we are monitoring the situation carefully. Should the situation change we will reassess.

In Gaza we are preparing to respond as soon as conditions allow. When we can operate, our response will include providing people with clean water, sanitation and hygiene items, rehabilitation of water and wastewater networks that have been destroyed in the bombing, food and other essential household items for people who have lost their homes or their incomes.

There needs to be an immediate and lasting ceasefire for Israel and Palestine

The international community, including the UK, must use all tools at their disposal to secure an immediate and lasting ceasefire - agreed to by all parties in the conflict - to stop the death and  destruction and allow enough aid to get into Gaza.

End the total siege of Gaza

The Government of Israel must end to the total siege of Gaza, so that enough humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, food, fuel and water can reach all those who need it.

Protect all civilians and release the hostages

All parties in the conflict must protect civilians from military action and uphold International Humanitarian Law. This means ensuring the unconditional release of all remaining hostages held captive by Hamas, and the protection of civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools.

Break the cycle of war and work towards a lasting and just peace

That means genuinely tackling the root causes of injustice and violence that is being perpetrated under the occupation.

Oxfam and other agencies argue strongly that a full ceasefire is the only real solution.

• Sign the petition to call for a lasting ceasefire
• Send voice messages from Gaza to your MP

• You can check the most reliable data on the situation from the UN website flash updates.
• Read Oxfam’s reactions on the latest escalations in Gaza.
• Read more about humanitarian pauses and corridors in our blog, 'why a "humanitarian pause" or "humanitarian corridors" are simply not the answer in Gaza'.