Since 3 April 2016, the Israeli authorities have been preventing the import of cement into Gaza for the private sector, following allegations that a substantial amount had been diverted from its intended legitimate beneficiaries. The controlled import of cement into Gaza for the private sector only resumed in October 2014 as part of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM), after a general sweeping ban imposed since the imposition of the blockade in June 2007. The recent restrictions were further reconfirmed on 18 April, following the discovery of a tunnel running from Gaza into Israel, the first such discovery since the 2014 Gaza conflict.

Sporadic rocket fire at Israel and airstrikes in Gaza remain a concern During March, 22 Palestinians, including five children, were killed by Israeli forces in various incidents across the oPt and Israel, including 19 suspected…

As the reconstruction of homes destroyed in Gaza during the 2014 conflict progresses and further pledged funding becomes available, issues have emerged related to the housing, land and property (HLP) rights of affected families and urban planning.

On 8 April, the Gaza Power Plant (GPP) was forced to shut down completely after exhausting its fuel reserves and being unable to replenish them due to a shortage of funds. This has triggered electricity blackouts of 18-20 hours per day, up from 12 hours previously, further undermining the delivery of basic services.

Today, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) released the findings of an unprecedented profiling exercise of Palestinian families internally displaced in the Gaza Strip as…

In February 2016 a project was completed targeting water needs and supporting the resilience of vulnerable households, including IDPs, in Abassan Al Kabira, a town of about 28,000 people in Khan Younis governorate in the Gaza Strip. The project was implemented by Première Urgence Internationale (PUI), an international NGO, with funding provided by the Humanitarian Pooled Fund (HPF). In February, there were 15 ongoing projects financed by the HPF for a total of US$ 3.7 million, addressing urgent needs throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.