Hundreds, if not thousands, of Palestinians in the region, many of whom have just returned to their devastated homes, are on the move again, searching for safety.
Credit: Mohammed Zaanoun
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How difficult is it to support Gaza?
After 15 months of devastating conflict, a temporary ceasefire came into effect in Gaza on January 19, 2025. This means there was a pause in the conflict. This collapsed when Israeli forces resumed airstrikes on Gaza on March 18, 2025. Hundreds of people have been killed, and many more injured. Hospitals are overwhelmed.
Up to 1.9 million people are currently displaced across Gaza. Access to water, food and medicine is very difficult. It’s made worse by fuel shortages.
Without electricity, people cannot use lights in the dark evenings, keep warm, or cook food. 2.2 million people are at imminent risk of famine.
What is happening in Gaza?
The ceasefire in Gaza has collapsed. On the March 18th, 2025, Israeli airstrikes resumed on Gaza.
The fragile ceasefire had brought hope to vulnerable families in desperate need of safe shelter, food, water and medical care. Now, people are once again left searching for safety. Many people who had just returned to their destroyed homes are once again being displaced.
People have only just been able to return home, or to what’s left of them, under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Now people are being told to move again under new evacuation orders as ground operations resume.
Our partners PARC and MAP are continuing to distribute ShelterBox aid that we got into Gaza before the blockade. Items like tarpaulins and rope that are being used to create temporary and portable shelters. A permanent humanitarian ceasefire and end to the fighting is the only way to ease the immense suffering on Palestinians in Gaza and protect their human rights.
Where is Gaza?
The Gaza Strip is located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated pieces of land on Earth. 2.3 million people live on the narrow strip of land, measuring 141sq miles (41km long / 10km wide). Since 7 October 2023, 80% of homes here have been damaged or destroyed.
With civilians unable to leave, nowhere in Gaza is safe. Families are forced to move again and again in search of safety, but land, sea, and air bombardments are making that near impossible. There are large areas cut off and people are continuously on the move.
How much aid is getting into Gaza?
Throughout the crisis, getting aid into Gaza has been slow and unpredictable. The January 2025 ceasefire created hope for better access for aid into, and through, Gaza.
However, since March 2nd, 2025, the entry of essential supplies like food, medicine, and fuel into the region has been halted. This has led to a worsening humanitarian crisis, with aid trucks stranded outside Gaza and resources like food and medicine deteriorating.
We have more aid in Jordan and Dubai ready to go, and enough tents to shelter thousands of people, but we can’t move it because of the restrictions.
Hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza have been without adequate shelter. Getting aid into Gaza remains extremely challenging. ShelterBox has been working with local partners, who were already present in Gaza, to source and distribute essential aid.
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How is ShelterBox supporting people in Gaza?
We have been providing tents and other emergency items to support war-torn communities in Gaza. Together with MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians) we sourced aid items in Egypt and Türkiye, which we were then able to distribute in Gaza with the help of MAP and local organisation the Social Development Forum (SDF). This included items such as tarpaulin, rope, tape and plastic sheeting to make shelters watertight, as well as kitchen sets, bedding and hygiene kits.
We have also been distributing tents in Gaza, and more are on the way. Tents are being distributed by MAP and SDF alongside another partner PARC (the Agricultural Development Association).
Our incredible supporters make all this possible. Thank you.
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