Gaza humanitarian crisis deepens a year after ceasefire, UN official says
A senior United Nations official has said life in Gaza remains "absolutely horrendous" as the humanitarian crisis continues a year after the ceasefire. Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said more than 90% of people are still living in temporary shelters. He also said many residents rely on trucked water and are living beside sewage, underscoring the scale of the emergency.
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Fletcher made the comments as EU development ministers and other international figures met at Dublin Castle under Ireland's EU Presidency. The meeting comes ahead of the first anniversary of the ceasefire in Gaza and days after the third anniversary of Hamas' attacks on Israel. Fletcher said the UN has managed to deliver a million hot meals a day and get 100,000 children back to school since the ceasefire, but added that access remains limited and global funding is falling sharply.
He said the UN currently has only one functional crossing into Gaza, which he described as insufficient. Fletcher also said aid agencies need more access for non-governmental partners and more clearance for rubble removal so people can begin rebuilding. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, more than 1,400 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began, a figure that highlights how fragile the truce remains.
The latest warning matters because it shows that the ceasefire has not translated into stable living conditions for most civilians. Gaza's humanitarian situation remains tied to access, funding and the ability of aid agencies to move supplies and personnel through crossings. Fletcher said humanitarian needs are rising globally while funding is declining, a combination that could further strain relief operations in Gaza and elsewhere.
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The comments also point to the wider challenge of recovery after prolonged conflict. The territory has seen extensive displacement, damage to infrastructure and continuing pressure on health, water and sanitation systems. Fletcher said the UN wants to help people move back toward peace and a sustainable two-state solution, but said there is still a long way to go before conditions improve.
What remains unclear is whether access restrictions will ease and whether additional crossings will open for aid deliveries. It is also not clear how much more funding will be available for relief work in the coming months. For now, the UN says the immediate priority is to expand humanitarian access, clear rubble and reduce the risks facing civilians still living in temporary shelters.
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