Gaza Humanitarian Access Snapshot #4

NGO Joint Statement

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Humanitarian Space Further Eroded Amid Displacement Orders By Israeli Forces and Unprecedented Access Challenges

Key Takeaways

• 16 orders by Israeli forces in August forcibly displaced more than 260,000civilians and severely disrupted access to aid with at least 24 NGOs impacted. Civilians, including humanitarians, were pushed into an ever-shrinking space, unilaterally-designated by Israeli forces as a “humanitarian zone” now just 11% of Gaza.
• Ongoing hostilities have severely damaged key infrastructure and increased risks for civilians, including humanitarian workers, leading to the suspension of critical services.
• NGOs continue to face significant delays and restrictions in getting aid into and across Gaza due to Israeli forces-imposed bureaucratic obstacles, leading to aid shortages and putting vulnerable populations at greater risk.
• Humanitarian workers face immense safety and security risks and operational difficulties due to the deteriorating security situation, prohibitive entry requirements, and cash shortages, making it increasingly difficult to secure aid and deliver the small amount that has reached Gaza.
• Critical shortages of medical supplies, food, water, and hygiene products are compounded by the imminent threat of a polio outbreak, with the first case confirmed in August 2024 by the Ministry of Health in Gaza, underscoring the dire health and humanitarian crisis.

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Israeli forces have been continuously pushing civilians into an ever-shrinking part of Gaza. Israel claims these forced movements are evacuation orders, but in reality, they do not meet the international legal definition of an evacuation. They are more accurately referred to as forced displacement orders.

The shrinking of the “humanitarian zone” has had grave impacts, affecting at least 24 NGOs operating in the area.

ActionAid, AI Rowan, Anera, Association for Palestine Youth, CESVI, Danish Refugee Council partners (DRC), IBC, Islamic Relief, Mercy Corps, Middle East Children’s Alliance, Médecins du Monde, Project HOPE, Save the Children, War Child, Humanity & Inclusion (HI), We World , Oxfam, and Solidarités International all have staff members who were displaced due to orders by Israeli forces.

There are no viable risk mitigations available to humanitarian actors. The two safety provisions put in place by Israeli forces—the so-called “humanitarian zone,” which lacks legal underpinning and provides no safety due to repeated attacks within this zone, and the humanitarian notification system, which also fails to offer any real protection due to the repeated targeting of deconflicted sites, including INGO premises—are ineffective.

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The 30 signatory organizations

• Action Aid
• AFSC
• Anera
• CARE
• CESVI
• Christian Aid
• Danish Refugee Council
• DCA
• Gaza Protection Consortium
• Handicap International
• International Rescue Committee
• Islamic Relief
• Medecins Du Monde
• Medicos Del Mundo
• Mennonite Central Committee
• Mercy Corps
• Middle East Children’s Alliance
• Norwegian Church Aid
• Norwegian People’s Aid
• Norwegian Refugee Council
• Oxfam
• Physicians for Human Rights
• Plan International
• Premiere Urgence Internationale
• Reform
• Save the Children
• Solidarités International
• War Child
• We World
• Welt Hunger Hilfe