https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/disasters-and-emergencies/world/whats-happening-in-gaza-humanitarian-crisis-grows
The latest news update on the Gaza humanitarian crisis
After months without any aid able to enter, Gaza faces a critical risk of famine.
470,000 people in Gaza face starvation – that's 22% of the population.
People – especially children, pregnant women and the elderly - are being treated in hospitals for severe malnutrition.
More than 52,000 people have died and at least 118,000 have been injured in Gaza since October 2023.
Since the launch of new aid distribution sites in May, mass casualty events have rapidly increased.
The Red Cross field hospital has treated more than 2,200 weapon-wounded patients since the establishment of new aid distribution sites in May – more than the whole of 2024.
Families of those held hostage in Gaza remain caught between hope and despair as they desperately await news of their loved ones.
A catastrophic humanitarian disaster
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is unbearable - and deteriorating sharply. Every day has been a fight for survival for the people in Gaza.
Food supplies have nearly run out completely, the medical system is shattered and there is an almost complete lack of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. Entire families are trapped and desperately seeking safety and security amidst shelling and crumbling infrastructure.
The collapse of the health system, coupled with continued fighting and the complete suspension of aid delivery for 11 weeks, has led to an unprecedented rise in unmet humanitarian and medical needs.
Severe malnutrition is only getting worse
Months without aid have pushed malnutrition in Gaza to catastrophic levels, with children, pregnant women, and the elderly suffering the most. Hospitals are admitting increasing numbers of malnourished patients, and despite limited resources, medical teams are working tirelessly to provide emergency nutrition support, essential food supplements, and basic medical care.
Dr Mohamed El-Deeb, a Palestine Red Crescent Society doctor at Al Quds Hospital, described treating children so weak from severe malnutrition that they sometimes collapse in their sleep.
More than 20 months of conflict have devastated Gaza’s critical infrastructure, including services vital for electricity, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare. These disruptions have deepened food insecurity, causing severe shortages of essential supplies such as flour, sugar, proteins, and carbohydrates, leaving many without the nutrients necessary to survive.
The worsening crisis has pushed medical facilities beyond capacity. Field hospitals like the Red Cross facility in Rafah are overwhelmed, facing rising numbers of emergency cases alongside malnutrition treatments.
Despite the immense pressure, medical teams continue to provide vital nutrition and care, supported by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as they respond to the escalating humanitarian emergency.
Find out more about the malnutrition crisis in Gaza.
Increase in mass-casualty events since the opening of new aid distribution sites in May 2025
In the last month, the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah has seen an unprecedented rise in patients, treating over 2,200 in the last month alone the vast majority caused by gunfire. That’s more than 2024 in total.
Since the launch of new aid distribution sites around 27 May 2025, there have been more than 21 separate mass casualty events with toddlers, teenagers, the elderly and mothers among the wounded.
The scale and frequency of these incidents has overwhelmed the 60-bed field hospital that is now running beyond maximum capacity daily. But, despite the chaos and overwhelming demand, the surgical teams continue to operate tirelessly – often performing 40 emergency procedures a day.
“In the previous rotations, we would work in the operating theatre between eight-10 cases. Right now, we are working on 30-40 cases per day which is a massive difference just in terms of workload,” operating theatre nurse Haitam al-Hasan said.
“We have people screaming, rushing, trying to be the first in the line because, of course, everybody wants to be treated first. We have a variety of injuries, mostly complex injuries, blast injuries, but mainly gunshot injuries.”
Additional support teams from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have also been deployed to help manage the influx and deliver lifesaving care under unimaginable pressure.
