20/03/2026
Five facts you should know about the humanitarian situation in Gaza
1.4 million people are still living in tents, with no plan for transition into durable housing anywhere in the near future. Remember the images of flooded tents and desperate families from this winter? If we don’t do something, next winter will be the same.
1.6 million experiencing or nearing food security crisis. Did you know that the price of basic products such as vegetables, eggs, and chicken in Gaza is HIGHER than in the US, even though almost no one in Gaza has a source of income?
Over 600,000 of children had no access to education for over 2 ½ years. This means that 9-year-old children never started first grade.
More than ¾ of elderly people live in overcrowded tents. Imagine your parents or grandparents spending the last years of their life in a dilapidated tent, with no access to running water, electricity, sanitary facilities, or medical care.
Women and girls do not have regular access to hygiene products. As a result, many displaced women and girls are forced to use primitive and unsanitary alternatives because sanitary pads are unavailable or too expensive. Imagine what this is like in an environment where even a proper shower is hard to get.
Sources for the post: OCHA Humanitarian Situation Update #357 | Gaza Strip, February 12
Update by Maya Rosenfeld, March 7, 2026
Shelter Cluster Meeting Minutes 19 Feb 2026@