Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council Urgent Update August 23, 2025
ACTION ITEMS
1. The BDS movement requests you write to representatives of the states attending the Arms Trade Treaty Conference in Geneva, Switzerland 8/25-29 demanding they take action against their members breaking the treaty terms by providing weapons to Israel. Here:
2. Attend the People’s Conference for Palestine, 8/29-31, in Detroit, MI. Plenaries, workshops, cultural events, and organizing sessions to deepen strategy, strengthen unity, and build a mass movement. Find out more and join the 3000+ people already registered: here
3. Affirm unwavering solidarity with HEAL Palestine, an organization dedicated to providing essential medical aid and support to the Palestinian people. Critics expresses deep discontent over the Department of State’s recent decision to target and halt the humanitarian temporary visa program, a critical lifeline for suffering Palestinian children in urgent need of medical care in the United States. Contact the State Department (here ) and Congress (here) to support the work of HEAL and demand the reversal of this decision.
4. Center for Constitutional Rights has called on Kathy Jennings, the Delaware Attorney General, to respond to its demand that she investigates the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and seek to revoke its charter. See detailed letter to the AG. CCR said Jennings has an obligation to sue to revoke GHF’s corporate charter on grounds that the ostensible charity is complicit in war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. To date, Attorney General Jennings has neither responded to the CCR nor publicly addressed the serious claims raised against the Delaware-registered entity. here Email Jennings here (Mondoweiss 8/15)
Webinars
JVP HAC webinar: Fast and Slow Genocide: Gaza and the West Bank, 9/7, 1 pm EDT, with Drs. Sara Aly and Mark Perlmutter, available in English and Spanish, register https://www.jvphealth.org/events
We Must Not Look Away: Resisting Oppression and Pursuing Justice by Roy Eidelson for the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence, Division 48 of the American Psychological Association. Tuesday 9/9 noon – 1pm EDT. Register here:
Holocaust Memory and “Fighting Antisemitism” in Times of Genocide. Amos Goldberg, Hebrew University, discusses: How is it that the 3 countries in which Holocaust memory is most dominant——Israel, the United States, and Germany—are the very countries most involved in the genocide in Gaza? Sponsored by Scientists for Palestine. 9/10 at 7pm Palestine, 5pm GMT, noon EDT, 9amPDT. Register: here
United Nations
UN and NGOs warn of humanitarian impact of intensified Gaza City offensive and further mass displacement.
· 9/18, the Humanitarian Country Team of the OPT condemned the Israeli plan’s “horrific humanitarian impact on people already exhausted, malnourished, bereaved, displaced, and deprived of basics needed for survival. Forcing hundreds of thousands to move south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer,” a war crime.
· “We stress that all those displaced must be allowed to return if they so wish” and called for “a permanent ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages…” See the complete statement here:
· Similar statements from International Red Cross here
Silence is complicity
· 8/18, theResident and Humanitarian Coordinators of the OPT, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon issued a statement reiterated their call to “those in power to end attacks against humanitarian workers and aid operations. Release all those arbitrarily detained. Safeguard the humanitarian space in the Middle East.” Since 8/2024, at least 446 aid workers were killed, wounded, kidnapped or detained in the OPT, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon; since 8/2023, 584 killed, 215 wounded, 38 detained, and 4 kidnapped.
· “The assault on humanitarian space now includes moves to dismantle multilateral norms, undermine UN-mandated bodies, and defund institutions tasked with protection and justice. Even speaking out has become a liability, risking humanitarian access and triggering political retaliation. The climate of permissiveness is politically indefensible and morally intolerable. There can be no exceptions to the rules of war. All parties must comply with international humanitarian law and be held accountable.” Full statement here
On famine in Gaza
· 9/22, Dr Ramiz Alakbarov, Humanitarian Coordinator of the OPT confirmed the reality of famine in Gaza. “This catastrophe is entirely human-made. Despite repeated warnings, and tireless efforts to avert it, the political will to ensure unimpeded humanitarian operations by the UN and NGOs has tragically fallen short. Further escalation of the war will lead to more forced displacement, violence, and widespread destruction. It will further destroy remnants of health, water, sanitation and hygiene systems, and increase disease outbreaks, worsening the conditions that drive acute malnutrition.” Full statement here: 9/22, Under-Secretary General Tom Fletcher decried the Gaza famine: “It is a famine that we could have prevented, if we had been allowed. Yet food stacks up at borders because of systematic obstruction by Israel. It is a famine within a few hundred meters of food, in a fertile land. It is a famine that hits the most vulnerable first… But that the international media has not been allowed in to cover… It is a 21st century famine watched over by drones and the most advanced military technology in history. It is a famine openly promoted by some Israeli leaders as a weapon of war… Enough. Ceasefire. Open the crossings, north and south, all of them. Let us get food and other supplies in, unimpeded and at the massive scale required. End the retribution. It is too late for far too many. But not for everyone in Gaza. Enough. For humanity’s sake, let us in. Full statement here
Journal articles & Reports
The Lancet: A correspondence discusses the dire conditions of Gaza’s maternal and neonatal health sector and devastating results for mothers, newborns, and their families. In the first 6 months of 2025, livebirths declined 41% compared to the same period in 2022; during the same period, 2600 pregnancies ended in miscarriage, 220 resulted in intrauterine fetal deaths, and 21 newborns died within 24 hours. Premature births, congenital malformations, and low birthweight are also commonplace. The authors describe pregnant mothers’ experiences of malnutrition, repeated forced displacement, and increasingly limited access to healthcare as well as dire living conditions where water, sanitation, and food are severely deficient. History will record whether the world chose to preserve Palestinian life and stop this genocide; Gaza's mothers cannot wait for a more convenient moment to claim their right to give birth safely.” here
The Lancet: War wounds caused by explosive weapons in Gaza: data from a 2024 study by Médecins Sans Frontières. Of 207 942 general outpatient department (OPD) consultations. 114 368 (55·0%) OPD consultations were for women and 41 588 (20·0%) were for children younger than 5 years. Wound care accounted for 44·8% of all consultations (93 254 of 207 942) which were conducted for 22 637 patients across included health facilities. Almost a third of wound care-related consultations were for women (29 841 [32·0%]) and 27 655 (29.7%) were for children younger than 15 years, of which 9179 (9·8%) were for children younger than 5 years. Violent trauma, including physical violence and directly targeted violence against a person or group of people, presented in nearly half of wound care-related consultations (39 700 [42·6%]; range 13–66% across facilities; table). The remaining wound care-related conditions were injuries due to unsafe living conditions, domestic-related accidents, and road-related accidents. here
Global Environmental Change: Using satellite data, meteorological data, and machine learning techniques, this study examined changes in key atmospheric pollutants in Gaza between 2019 and 2024. Models demonstrated substantial changes in air pollutants post-10/2023, including sharp sustained increases in UVAI and CO reflecting widespread combustion and infrastructure damage, spikes in SO2 indicating widespread fuel burning and infrastructure damage, and steady rises in methane signaling collapse of the waste management and sanitation systems. “Policy implications include the urgent need for conflict-sensitive environmental monitoring systems, the integration of satellite data into humanitarian planning, and the development of adaptive forecasting models that incorporate war-related variables, such as infrastructure damage and displacement patterns.”
International Journal of Infectious Diseases: A correspondence discusses the world’s failure to uphold the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Gaza, noting that “if these fundamental rights are not defended here, the global commitment to the SDGs is rendered meaningless.” In particular, the authors emphasize the complete failure and collapse of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The authors emphasize that as of July 2025, 80% of Gaza’s population is facing IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) or 5 (Catastrophe/Famine) food insecurity, 75% of Gaza’s hospitals are non-functional or severely damaged, and less than 5% of water in Gaza is safe to drink with over 90% of sewage being discharged untreated into the environment. The authors call attention to the global health community’s silence on Palestine. here
Nature Medicine: A correspondence discusses the potential health consequences of Israel’s proposed forced displacement of the entire population of Gaza into a “humanitarian city” in Rafah, with exit only possible through permanent departure to another country. Given Israel’s destruction of Rafah’s basic water, sanitation, and health infrastructure, forcing 2 million people into the space would likely result in rapid disease outbreaks due to overcrowding, malnutrition, poor sanitation, and no access to functioning hospitals. Forced migration to other countries also leads to far-reaching consequences on health and well-being including substantial barriers to health care access, social and political exclusion, post-traumatic stress and other mental health conditions, and intergenerational trauma. The authors emphasize that “modern colonialism masked as redevelopment or peacebuilding must be rejected. No state should be permitted to redraw borders or expel populations in the name of redevelopment or freedom, especially when the result would perpetuate severe health consequences, trauma and generational suffering on a massive scale.” here
European Journal of Social Work: In this editorial, the journal’s editors-in-chief discuss how the values and professional ethics of social work compel them “to respond when human dignity and basic rights are under threat” as they are in Gaza. “The European Journal of Social Work therefore reaffirms its mission as an inclusive platform for critical debate. Only by continuing to bear witness and analyse these injustices can social work contribute to durable solutions and to the vision of peace and social justice articulated in our global definition.” here
BMJ News Articles
The IPC system has confirmed that famine is now widespread in Gaza, making it the first time a famine has been officially declared in the Middle East region. Save the Children: “this engineered famine is the ultimate and inevitable result of the government of Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war.” Numerous global bodies including the FAO, Unicef, UNWFP, and the WHO continue to call for an end to the forced starvation of Gaza and the allowance an “unimpeded, large scale humanitarian response that can save lives.” here
An action group comprised of healthcare professionals, UK Healthcare Petitions to Royal Colleges, developed several petitions calling on royal colleges to advocate for the protection of healthcare workers and civilians in Gaza. The petitions were sent to the colleges on 9/8 and have currently received more than 10,000 signatures from healthcare workers, including 5,000 doctors. The petition to the Royal College of General Practitioners, calls on the college to condemn Israel’s “starvation, siege, and healthcare obstruction” and “provide a platform for concerned RCGP members to engage in advocacy, education, and public health dialogue on the responsibilities of doctors in humanitarian crises.” here
In a letter published by Physicians for Human Rights Israel, more than 100 international doctors and healthcare workers who have volunteered in Gaza called on the global community to protect all Palestinians, including healthcare workers, from Israel’s “catastrophic and targeted assault.” The letter also calls for the protection of health care sites, the lifting of Israel’s illegal blockade of humanitarian supplies, an immediate and permanent ceasefire and end to the military occupation of Gaza, and accountability for the parties responsible for “attacks, detentions, and abuse affecting the medical mission in Gaza.” “Today, we raise our voices again in full solidarity with our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza, all of whom continue to endure unimaginable violence.” Israel’s ongoing genocide and deepening siege have effectively destroyed the entire health system in Gaza.” here
As US universities deepen ties with Israeli institutions, a Hebrew-language report by New Profile, an Israeli anti-militarization movement, sheds light on the extent to which those institutions are embedded in the country’s military apparatus — with Israel expanding its assault on Gaza and spiraling settler and army violence throughout the West Bank.The report identifies at least 57 military-academic programs for active-duty soldiers and conscription candidates across numerous universities and estimates that financial cooperation between the Ministry of Defense and academia for soldier study programs from 2019 to 2022 exceeded NIS [shekels] 269 million (roughly $79 million). here
From UN Special RapporteurFrancesca Albanese: “For those who [say] ‘It can't be genocide as the Palestinian population is growing, Gaza has had the largest drop in life expectancy of any place on earth in modern history.” The life expectancy in Gaza dropped over 30 years in the first 12 months of the war, according to a study in the Lancet earlier this year. (Drop Site 8/18)
Israel is carrying out a deliberate campaign of starvation in Gaza, systematically destroying the health, well-being and social fabric of Palestinian life, Amnesty International said today as it published chilling new testimonies of starved displaced civilians. Their accounts underscore the organization’s repeated findings that the deadly combination of hunger and disease is not an unfortunate byproduct of Israel’s military operations. It is the intended outcome of plans and policies that Israel has designed and implemented, over the past 22 months, to deliberately inflict on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction – which is part and parcel of Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. here
Israeli forces continue air, land and sea bombardment of homes, schools and IDP tents, and began an expanded attack on the ~1 million people crowded into northern Gaza, especially Jabalya and Gaza City. Since 3/18,796,000 people have been displaced. Since 5/27, Israeli targeting (with US mercenary support) of Palestinians seeking food has killed 2,018 and injured 14,947. Famine was officially declared on 8/22 as the Israeli strategy of starvation achieved a total of 273 malnutrition deaths (112 children).
· This week: 400 Palestinians killed, 2,683 injured
· Since 10/07/2023: 62,122+ killed, 156,758+ injured.
· Israeli soldiers in Gaza: 454 killed (0 this week), 2,874 injured (2 this week)
· Israeli army database suggests at least 83% of Gaza dead were civilians.
Classified intelligence from May reveals Israel believed it had killed some 8,900 militants in its attacks on Gaza, indicating a proportion of civilian slaughter with few parallels in modern warfare, a joint investigation finds. here
Key Highlights
The UN and NGOs will maintain presence in Gaza city, warning that the Israeli authorities’ plan to intensify military operations there will have a horrific humanitarian impact.
Major international NGOs face imminent de-registration by the Israeli authorities, and most have been unable to deliver any supplies to Gaza since 3/2.
People with disability are gravely affected by the dearth of adequate rehabilitation services, which suffer restrictions on the entry of equipment and personnel.
Sewage continues to be diverted into stormwater basins and the sea, causing severe environmental pollution.
Israeli attacks
· Israel and US mercenaries continue to target and kill starving people seeking food: 8/13 & 17, 45 killed near the militarized distribution point in Khan Younis; 8/14, 19 killed and many injured waiting for aid trucks near Khan Younis and near the Zikim crossing; 8/17
· 8/13-18, 51 killed (8 children) and many injured in 6 attacks on IDP tents and shelters, homes, and the Al Ahli Hospital, all in Gaza City.
· 8/16 & 18, soldiers fired on fishing boats, killing 2 and injuring others off the Gaza City coast.
· 8/17, Scores of Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes with Israeli forces committing a massacre targeting civilians near the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City. Medical sources confirmed that seven Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike that hit the hospital courtyard early in the morning. (Palestine Chronicle 8/17)
· 8/17, Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis reported that three aid recipients were killed by Israeli army fire targeting a site north of Rafah. In total, hospital sources said 11 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks across the Strip since dawn on 8/17. (Palestine Chronicle 8/17)
· Israeli warplanes completely destroyed a displacement camp sheltering families in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, firing three missiles that leveled the site, leaving a massive crater and causing total devastation. Footage verified by Al Jazeera shows the destruction.
· 8/21 Israel has started the invasion of Gaza City, and is now annihilating one of its most historic neighborhoods. Despite the Israeli army’s announcements that it plans to occupy Gaza City in October, the first stage of the invasion has already begun. It is starting with the flattening of the Zaytoun neighborhood, including the Old City of Gaza. here
· UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reports that Israel’s militarized food distribution system has, from 5/27-8/18, killed 1,889 people: 1,025 at their sites and 864 along trucking supply routes. Most were killed by Israeli military with no information that they “were directly participating in hostilities or posed any threat” to Israeli forces.
· OHCHR recorded 11 attacks this month killing 46 Palestinians providing security to convoys in North Gaza and Deir al Balah, stressing that these attacks have contributed to the breakdown of law enforcement and increased starvation. OHCHR previously noted: “the Israeli military unlawfully targeted civilian police officers not taking part in hostilities, contributing to the collapse of law enforcement, leading directly to disorder around supply convoys, as the population becomes increasingly desperate to access food in the face of deepening starvation.”
· As the Israeli army confirms plans to invade Gaza City and occupy it, Palestinians have to decide whether to endure another cycle of displacement or stay and risk being killed. While some plan to evacuate, others are done following orders. (Mondoweiss 8/15)
· Zakaria Bakr, head of Gaza’s Fishermen’s Committees, says Israel is carrying out a systematic campaign to wipe out the strip’s fishing sector—once its second most important food source—as part of a wider war on food production. Since October, over 210 fishermen have been killed, ports and fish farms bombed, and 95% of the industry destroyed. Only 450 of 4,500 fishermen can still work, confined to shallow waters where they remain targets of Israeli fire. A new Gisha report confirms: Israel has banned all Palestinian access to the sea. (Mondoweiss)
Aid
· The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by the U.S. and Israel, has launched a pilot “reservation system” for food distribution that requires participants to be photographed, entered into a database, and issued ID cards for ration collection. Hamas previously banned collaboration with GHF, accusing it of serving as a tool of occupation rather than genuine relief. Rights groups warn the program deepens surveillance and control in Gaza, where distribution sites remain militarized and deadly for civilians seeking food. (Drop Site 8/19)
· 8/3-16, UNICEF delivered therapeutic food for 30,000 malnourished children, infant formula for 1,250 babies, 3,500 cartons of high-energy biscuits, and over 30 truckloads of medicines into Gaza. UN reports malnutrition prevention stocks are almost completely depleted after months of total blockade and only limited entry since May. In Gaza City, nearly 1 in 3 children is now malnourished—six times higher than before the ceasefire collapsed, according to UNRWA data from over 100,000 children screened since March. (Drop Site 8/21)
· 8/13-19, of 79 missions coordinated with Israeli authorities, 45 were facilitated (57%), 21 were impeded (27%), 5 were denied (6%) and 8 were withdrawn (10%). Facilitated movements included missions to transfer fuel, collection of medical, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies, staff movements and rotations. Denied movements included water pipe connection repairs, movements of WASH chemical supplies and road repairs.
· 8/13, over 100 NGOs raised alarm over increasing obstructions by Israeli authorities to the delivery of aid to Gaza: “Despite claims by Israeli authorities that there is no limit on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, most major international NGOs have been unable to deliver a single truck of lifesaving supplies since 3/2,” which “has left millions of dollars’ worth of food, medicine, water, and shelter items stranded in warehouses across Jordan and Egypt, while Palestinians are being starved.” The Israeli obstruction is tied to a new registration process for international NGOs, where “registration can be denied based on vague and politicized criteria, such as alleged ‘delegitimization’ of the state of Israel” and where registration requirements include the submission of sensitive donor and staff data. Failure to comply, forces organizations to halt operations in Gaza and the West Bank and remove all international staff within 60 days. Some NGOs have been issued 7-day ultimatums to provide Palestinian staff lists, which violates data protection laws and undermines humanitarian principles. 8/6, UN agencies and NGOs called on Israeli authorities to rescind the requirement.
· Israel announced that, as of 8/17, as part of military preparations to “move the population from combat zones to southern Gaza for their protection, the supply of tents and shelter equipment to Gaza will resume.” Aid organizations welcomed the announcement, but found it “deeply troubling … that it comes in connection with a looming offensive” and that delivery of these much needed shelter supplies can only happen after “systematic restrictions – such as Israeli customs clearance, access to crossings and insecurity – are addressed.” They committed to maintain a presence in Gaza City to provide lifesaving support.
· Shelter Cluster has more than 1 million tarpaulins and sealing-off kits, 86,000 tents and about 5 million non-food items already procured or in-process for delivery to Gaza, but Israeli restrictions on NGOs and UNRWA block shelter deliveries, with critical materials denied entry even after approval. Shelter needs continue to grow: an estimated 1.4 million people require emergency shelter items and 1.45 million need essential household items.
· Since the limited resumption of aid entry on 5/19, Israel has implemented various mechanisms to further reduce aid entry: only 9 organizations have been authorized to manifest cargo, constraining the humanitarian response; trucks dispatched from Egypt were returned, some with no clear rationale, others due to congestion at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem platform; the requirement to physically inspect all aid containers in Ashdod limits the daily clearance process; the requirement for Israeli security escorts for trucks from Jordan and Ashdod to both the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and Erez West (Zikim) crossings, but lack of Israeli escort capacity has caused suspension of convoys from Jordan; inspection and customs delays at Allenby/King Hussein Bridge prevent convoys from crossing on time, forcing overnight stays and backlogs.
Hunger & Malnutrition
· The world’s leading authority on food crises—the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)—has officially declared a full-blown, phase 5 “catastrophic” famine in the Gaza governorate, including Gaza City, and the famine is projected to spread and engulf Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by September. Nearly 1/3 of Gaza’s population—already face “starvation, destitution and death,” while another 1.14 million are in the “emergency” phase 4. Food supplies have collapsed: 87% of UN aid trucks were intercepted in July, bakeries are shut, wheat flour prices have soared 3,400% since February, and families are scavenging through rubble and rubbish for food. The Famine Review Committee calls the crisis “entirely man-made” and warns that “if a ceasefire is not implemented… avoidable deaths will increase exponentially.” (Drop Site 8/22) here
· According to MoH in Gaza, as of 8/20, 269 malnutrition-related deaths (112 children) were documented since 10/2023. This includes 204 deaths (51 children) since 7/1.
· July, 13,000+ admissions of acutely malnourished children were reported, double the number in June, and more than 6 times the number for February. 8/7, UNICEF demanded nutrition supplies before more children die. Severe cases needing hospitalization in stabilization centers, increased to 54 in the first half of August. There are now only 5 centers equipped to treat severe acute malnutrition: 2 in Gaza City, 1 in Deir al Balah, and 2 in Khan Younis, with a combined bed capacity of 43. The Israeli blockade has depleted malnutrition prevention supplies. Both the WFP’s blanket and targeted supplementary feeding program for children and Pregnant & Breasfeeding women are on hold due to the lack of lipid-based nutrient supplements.
· 8/15, MSF reported their Gaza City and Khan Younis teams are seeing a significant and steady increase in malnourished patients, reporting a 20% rate of global acute malnutrition. MSF noted that malnutrition is not just a food shortage, but a life-threatening medical condition requiring immediate access to treatment, therapeutic foods and inpatient care.
· More than 62,000 metric tons of food is required to cover monthly food assistance needs. WFP confirms 170,000 metric tons of food stored, under procurement, or in transit. Yet, from 5/19-8/18, data indicates that Israel limited the NGOs to collecting only 54,000 metric tons of food supplies at the Gaza’s entry points.
· 8/3-16, 12,000 metric tons of flour, food parcels and bulk food supplies for community kitchens entered Gaza, but 95% was offloaded by hungry crowds or looted by armed gangs. No household-level distributions reached the most vulnerable. 8/4, limited commercial truck entries resumed, mainly canned food, pasta, flour, sugar.
· No cooking gas has entered Gaza for over 5 months and gas is unavailable in markets. Firewood has become unaffordable. Many people use waste and scrap as alternative fuel sources, exacerbating health and environmental risks.
· Until the last child is fed’: Gazans go on hunger strike in the midst of famine. A growing number of journalists and first responders in Gaza are going on hunger strike amidst the famine. “If you want to eat, you have to run after aid trucks. I refuse to do it,” says Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense. here
Health & Hospitals
· WHO documented 772 attacks on health care since 10/2023 in Gaza, including 115 attacks this year, killing 50 and injuring 119.
· The Israeli plan to invade Gaza City carries catastrophic consequences for Gaza’s health system: 12 (43%) of all 28 functioning hospitals and field hospitals are located in Gaza City, accounting for 33% of the 1,913 inpatient bed capacity and 48% of the 83 ICU beds.
· Hostilities in Gaza have resulted in 156,000+ injuries, many leading to life-long disabilities. Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmiyah, Director of Al-Shifa Hospital, indicated that amputations have increased due to the inability of antibiotics to combat bacteria. A recent study found 982 of 1,300 samples from Al Ahli Hospital showed bacterial growth, 2/3 of them with multi-drug resistant bacteria. Gaza’s MoH notes only one workshop manufactures and repairs artificial limbs. Electricity and fuel shortages limit their ability to meet the growing demand for prosthetics as medicine shortages limit provision of adequate care.
· Health Cluster reports only 45 of 112 rehab facilities (40%) are operational (all partially), including 10 hospitals, 2 field hospitals, 19 medical points, and 14 PHCs. The Global Disability Fund noted: “humanitarian actors, including UN agencies and NGOs, face increasing access and operational restrictions, including entry restrictions on essential equipment and aid, legal restrictions related to registration, and obstructions on the entry of humanitarian personnel, significantly impacting their ability to implement operations and deliver services to the population, with persons with disabilities often being the most difficult to reach and assist…placing an increased burden on local disability-focused organizations who are under-resourced in the context of soaring needs and whose operations have been critically impacted by the ongoing escalations, including through the destruction of physical infrastructure, loss of assets, and death, injury or displacement of staff members.”
· Persons with disabilities and older persons are experiencing severe denial of their basic rights. According to the latest update from the Global Protection Cluster (GPC), “134,105 people including over 40,500 children have new war-related injuries,” while 25% are estimated to have new disabilities requiring acute and ongoing rehabilitation. More than 83% of these persons have lost their assistive devices, the UN agency stated, citing the GBC, a network of NGOs, international organizations and UN agencies. More than “35,000 people are believed to have significant hearing damage due to explosions,” and “ten children per day lose one or both of their legs. here
· Gaza’s lab services face collapse due to shortages of supplies and equipment. MoH reports nearly 49% of lab test materials are depleted, over 60% of the remaining core lab items are expected to run out within a month, as will half of laboratory consumables and supplies. Critical tests for ORs and ICUs have already run out, as are materials required to monitor drug levels in patients with kidney and liver transplants. Complete Blood Count test kits are nearly exhausted; supplies for screening blood for viruses (HBsAg, HCV, HIV) are also nearly depleted, threatening blood transfusion. 45% of lab equipment has been damaged or destroyed.
· Medication shortages prevent approximately 71,000 diabetes patients from getting treatment, leading to serious health consequences. Gaza has only 1 month of insulin stocks remaining. UNRWA reports how securing both insulin and adequate food remains a daily challenge. Devices to monitor blood glucose levels (glucometers) and testing strips are also unavailable.
· 8/2, Red Crescent opened a new OBGYN Dept. at Al-Mawasi Field Hospital, offering natural and caesarean deliveries, pre- and postnatal care, routine follow-up, and essential gyn surgeries. This brings the total number of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC) to 13, in addition to 9 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).
· 36-unit hemodialysis center at the Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis was rehabilitated and will become operational next week. It will support 205 kidney patients in Khan Younis, and 291 Gaza City patients at risk of displacement.
· WHO and UNICEF are providing tents and toilets to the Nasser Medical Complex to support expansion. The International Medical Corps is opening a new field hospital. MSF-France and MSF-Belgium are expanding bed capacity at their field hospitals in Deir al Balah and Zawayda.
· 6 of the 10 south Gaza field hospitals are operated by NGOs facing de-registration by 9/9 for not complying with new Israeli requirements to share personal information of Palestinian employees.
· Hospital occupancy rates far exceed capacity: 240% at Al-Shifa, 210% at Al Rantisi, 180% at Nasser and 300% at Al-Ahli. As of early August, 52% of essential drugs and 68% of essential disposables were at zero stock. Healthcare providers are fainting during service due to lack of food, water, and extreme heat. (Drop Site 8/20)
· Israel’s Ongoing Genocide Created Conditions for the Rapid Spread of Life-Threatening Diseases in Gaza. here
· CNN reports since 8/2, Israel has repeatedly blocked the same WHO truck carrying ICU beds for Gaza, turning it back four times after forcing the driver through 24-hour reviews before rejection. Dropsite news 8/20/25
· 85 cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) have been diagnosed, with 8 deaths reported. Plasmapheresis filters and IV fluid remain out of stock, severely hampering treatment.
· About 700,000 women and girls continue to lack menstrual health items.
· More than 14,800 critical patients require medical evacuation blocked by Israel.
· Israel has prevented two foreign physicians from entering the Gaza Strip, on orders from the Shin Bet security service. Dr. Mimi Syed (U.S.) and Dr. Catherine Le Scolin-Quere (France) were supposed to return to Gaza 8/21, but the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories notified them at the last minute that they would not be allowed to enter. Dr. Mimi Syed, a US emergency physician who has been vocal about Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s health system, She was carrying baby formula and medical equipment to treat malnourished children and a surge of cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Syed, who has previously worked in Gaza, testified at the Gaza Tribunal, met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and briefed U.S. senators, was blocked as Israel continues to prevent medical workers and supplies from reaching the already devastated health system. (Drop Site 8/21) here
Water & Sanitation
· Water supply from the 3 Israeli Mekorot water lines remains inconsistent due to damage to the lines and the Israeli refusal to allow repairs. Water trucking and seawater and brackish desalination plants have increased, despite critical fuel shortages, to compensate.
· In partnership with the UAE, UN Coastal Municipalites Water Utility (CMWU) continues the construction of a 6.7-kilometre water pipeline connecting the UAE-funded seawater desalination plant on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to southern Gaza; completion is planned in 10 days.
· All wastewater treatment plants in Gaza have ceased operations due to lack of electricity, infrastructure damage, and restricted access. Sewage is diverted into stormwater basins and the sea, causing severe pollution. Over 130,000 m. of sewage pipelines are damaged, 67% of pumping stations nonfunctional, and untreated sewage continues to spill into streets, shelters, and residential areas, posing significant public health risks.
· Solid waste management remains challenging, with access to landfills not possible amid frequent displacement orders and denied access to militarized zones. Fuel shortages prevent solid waste collection. Temporary dump sites are full. There are no available final treatment locations for medical waste.
Children
· Children in Gaza (about half of the population) face heightened protection risks. There has been a noticeable rise in hazardous child labor, such as rubble collection, street vending, and informal work in markets; an increase in begging among children and women; widespread psychosocial distress, evidenced by nightmares, social withdrawal, aggression, and anxiety. Essential child-focused supplies, such as mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) kits, tents for group activities, and assistive devices are unavailable and none have been permitted entry since 3/2. Even distribution of ID bracelets (to address risk of family separation during displacement) have decreased as stocks are nearly depleted.
WEST BANK, INCLUDING EAST JERUSALEM
In the past week, 2 Palestinians were killed and 18 (2 children) injured.
· So far this year, there have been 195 West Bank Palestinians killed (37 children) and 2544 injured, including 189 attacks on health care killing 11 and injuring 46. See more here
· 8/13, Israeli settler shot and killed a Palestinian man during a settler attack near Duma, south of Nablus. Since the establishment of a new outpost on 5/30, settlers have been bulldozing and vandalizing agricultural lands to construct a 1 km road from the outpost toward the village. Video footage shows Palestinians arguing with settlers and then throwing stones, after which a settler opened fire at the Palestinians. Israeli military claims a Palestinian attempted to grab the weapon of an off-duty soldier who opened fire at the Palestinians.
· 8/16, Israeli forces shot and killed an 18-year-old after dozens of masked settlers attacked Al Mughayyir village (Ramallah), damaging property, including livestock, an animal shelter, a residential tent, a caravan, vehicles, several agricultural rooms, trees and saplings, solar panels, and farming equipment. Israeli forces arrived and later raided the village. Palestinians threw stones at the forces, who fired at the Palestinians, killing one.
· 8/12-18, two Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, one by Israeli forces and one by an Israeli settler. During the same period, at least 18 Palestinians, including two children, were injured, half by Israeli forces and half by Israeli settlers.
Demolitions, displacement & movement restrictions
This week, Israeli authorities demolished 8 Palestinian-owned structures for lack of Israeli-issued building permits, affecting 60 people. So far this year, 230 residences have been demolished across Area C, compared with 185 and 91 in the parallel periods of 2024 and 2023.
· During the summer heat wave, communities across the West Bank, are facing extreme water shortages. Water supply from the Israeli water company (Mekorot) was reduced by 10-15% in Jerusalem and Ramallah communities for no clear reason, affecting 2 cities, 10 towns, 5 refugee camps and 40 villages. Some of these areas have also been affected by July settler attacks on the Ein Samiya Spring, its water wells and infrastructure which provides water to 20 villages and 100,000 people. So far this year, Israeli authorities demolished more than 130 water and sanitation structures across the West Bank.
The E1 settlement plan
· 8/20, Israeli government approved the construction of over 3,400 housing units for settlers as part of the E1 settlement expansion plan, to create a continuous, Barrier-surrounded, built-up area between Ma’ale Adumim settlement and Jerusalem. Peace Now reports that objections by Palestinian communities and Israeli NGOs against the E1 settlement plan were rejected by the Israeli Higher Planning Council.
· Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, condemned the E1 settlement expansion plan, stating: “Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are a violation of international law and run directly counter to UN resolutions. The advancement of this project is an existential threat to the two-State solution...The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the Government of Israel to immediately halt all settlement activity and to comply fully with its obligations under international law and to act in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and in line with the International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion of 7/19/24.”
· Humanitarian partners are concerned the plan disrupts the north-south contiguity of the OPT, further disconnects East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, would forcibly displace 18 Bedouin communities (3,500 people), and have a devastating humanitarian impact. The area is slated to be encircled by the Barrier, approved by the Israeli Cabinet in 2006.
· 8/21, UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) condemned the E1 plan: “it represents another grave and unlawful step to consolidate annexation of the occupied West Bank, in violation of international law...By dramatically restricting Palestinians' ability to move within the occupied West Bank, it will have catastrophic effects on their enjoyment of fundamental rights to access health, education, employment, and maintain family and society connections.”
· Since 2009, Israeli authorities have demolished more than 500 Palestinian-owned structures in the 18 Bedouin communities located in the area designated for the E1 settlement plan in the eastern Jerusalem, displacing over 900 people.
Intensification of Settler Attacks and Settlement Activities
Last week, 29 settler attacks caused casualties, property damage, or both, in 23 communities, displacing 18 households (102 people, 65 children), and injuring 11 Palestinians (1 child, 1 elder). 700 fruit trees were vandalized. So far this year, more than 1000 settler attacks on 230 communities killed 11 and injured 696. Israeli military increasingly participated in these attacks.
· 8/13, settlers broke into Palestinian family’s their tent in Al Farisiya–Ihmayyer herding community (Tubas), beating 1 man with a spiked metal club and attempting to strangle his father with a metal chain. Both men required hospital treatment.
· 8/15, large group of armed and masked settlers from nearby outposts attacked Palestinians between Al Mazra’a ash Sharqiya and Silwad villages (Ramallah). Settlers threw stones and shot at the Palestinians, injuring 2.
· 8/17, armed settlers from a nearby outpost raided a Palestinian-owned swimming resort in ‘Abud village, west of Ramallah, pepper-spraying the resort’s owner and damaging property.
· 8/15, armed settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, assaulted a family near Beit Awwa village (Hebron). As settlers attempted to seize the family’s vehicle, Israeli forces fired tear gas and sound bombs, and assaulted several family members, injuring 2 women.
· 8/16, settlers assaulted a Palestinian family of 9, beating and injuring 3, and preventing them from harvesting their grapes in Halhul town (Hebron).
· 8/17, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles and injured a 5-year-old near An Naqura village (Nablus). The child was taken to a hospital.
· Another 23 incidents this week involved settlers damaging agricultural lands, structures, and homes in 18 communities. They destroyed nearly 700 olive trees and grapevines, killed animals, burned vehicles, and damaged water, communication, and solar networks.
ISRAEL
· Israeli military has called up 60,000 reservists and extended the service of an additional 20,000 military members. One of the largest mobilizations in recent months comes as Israel plans to escalate its military assault on Gaza, take control of Gaza City, and forcibly displace up to a million Palestinians to the south. Over the past week, the Israeli military has escalated its attack on the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City—capturing a large area, destroying buildings, and displacing many of its residents—and is now targeting the Sabra neighborhood while also pummeling Jabaliya. (Drop Site 8/20)
· Mass protests erupt in Israel as IDF readies plans to occupy Gaza City. The demonstrations and partial strike were organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which said plans to prolong the war could endanger their loved ones. here, here
· Israel Hayom, an Israeli newspaper reveals the existence of the IDF’s “Population Relocation Unit,” which is preparing to forcibly displace nearly 1 million Palestinians from Gaza City south of the Netzarim Corridor. The Southern Command’s Population Relocation Unit is tasked with mapping civilians, issuing evacuation notices, and shelling with artillery which the report calls the “clearest message” to leave. COGAT has begun preparing infrastructure to absorb the displaced: tents and other shelter equipment entered Gaza to build a UAE-funded water pipeline from Egypt to the al-Mawasi future concentration camp. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s government voted today to approve a $9 billion increase to the 2025 budget, with $473 million going toward humanitarian aid for Gaza. (Drop Site 8/20/25)
· Haaretz: In recent weeks we spoke by video with doctors around the Gaza Strip. Through virtual tours of medical facilities, we sought to document the situation in which thousands of children suffer from severe acute malnutrition. What we saw brought the catastrophe into sharp focus.here
UNITED STATES
· JVP has released an “explainer” on Project Esther, the Project2025 plan to destroy the movement for Palestine solidarity and liberation in the US. Directed toward returning university students, this is helpful for anyone. herewww.
· US State Department suspended all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza after far-right influencer Laura Loomer said she “obtained video footage” of a few severely injured Palestinian children arriving in the U.S. for life-saving medical care. The department said no more children will be allowed entry “while it conducts a full and thorough review” of the temporary medical-humanitarian visa process. Loomer had specifically criticized HEAL Palestine, a U.S. nonprofit that arranges critical treatment for children from Gaza who cannot be treated locally. (Drop Site 8/18) here
· US State Department’s decision last weekend to halt all visitor visas for people from Gaza, which includes the medical-humanitarian visas that have brought injured children to American hospitals, will cost Palestinian lives. For a child with infected burns or a deep trauma wound, a pause is a verdict on their life. The freeze followed a social-media panic with the circulation of mischaracterized videos of injured children arriving under the care of a US nonprofit being labeled as a “security threat,” rhetoric amplified by political allies. The State Department then announced it was stopping visas while it re-examines procedures. (Mondoweiss 8/19) here, here
· State Department has shut down the Human Rights Reporting Gateway (HRG), an online portal that allows members of the public and non-governmental organizations worldwide to submit reports of gross violations of human rights by foreign security forces, said DAWN in a statement issued today. The Department has offered no explanation for the shutdown, nor even acknowledged it. (DAWN 8/18)
· US State Department has fired its top press officer for Israeli-Palestinian affairs. The officer, was fired days after he recommended expressing condolences for journalists killed in Gaza and for opposing the forced displacement of Palestinians. In one case, Ghoreishi had drafted a press statement that read, “We do not support forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza,” but the State Department vetoed the language. (Democracy Now 8/22)
· US State Department sanctioned four more officials at the International Criminal Court. It’s the latest move by the Trump administration to retaliate against the court for issuing an arrest warrant last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric condemned the US actions. (Democracy Now 8/21)
· After Gaza Famine Report, US Is Mostly Silent and Israel Is Defiant. The White House has not commented on a report finding famine in Gaza. Analysts say that absent U.S. pressure, Israel is unlikely to change course. here
· 8/5, the Iowa City Council unanimously voted to boycott and divest from Israel bonds and all companies complicit in the Gaza genocide and occupation of Palestine. (Mondoweiss 8/21)
· As US backs Israel's plans to occupy Gaza and expand illegal settlements in the West Bank, a solid majority of Americans say the world should recognize a Palestinian state. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, 58% of Americans believe that every country in the UN should recognize a Palestinian state, compared with just 33% who said they should not and 9% who said they were unsure. In recent weeks, many American allies—including Canada, the UK, and France—have broken with the US by indicating their intent to recognize the State of Palestine. In total, 147 of the UN's 193 member states—over 75%—now recognize Palestine as a sovereign nation. (Common Dreams on Portside 8/21)
· Microsoft employees, ex-employees, and community members have established a protest encampment on the company’s East Campus Plaza, renaming it the Martyred Palestinian Children’s Plaza. Organized by the “No Azure for Apartheid” group, the action is part of the broader “No Tech for Apartheid” campaign, which accuses Microsoft of enabling a “Microsoft-powered genocide.” The encampment was later forced to disperse under threat of police action, but its organizers have promised that this “will not be the end” of actions against Microsoft for its complicity in the Gaza genocide. Dropsite 8/20
· Microsoft is conducting an independent review of the use of its cloud computing technology by the Israeli Defense Forces, following several recent media reports. here
US universities
· Students at George Washington University urge the school’s administration not to give in to Trump administration demands following a Justice Department investigation into alleged “antisemitism” stemming from protests against the Gaza genocide. (Mondoweiss 8/22)
· After crushing dissent, U.S. universities are deepening ties with Israeli academia Israeli universities regularly collaborate with the military, which has destroyed all academic life in Gaza. That's done nothing to slow U.S.-Israeli partnerships. Institutions include Harvard, MIT, Clemson College, Columbia, University of Utah, Johns Hopkins, Florida Atlantic University, Barnard. here
· Indiana University admin has sanctioned Professor Ben Robinson (who is a member of the JVP AC) and suspended the campus Palestine Solidarity committee. here, here
· The Troubling Lines That Columbia Is Drawing. By adopting an overly broad and controversial definition of antisemitism, the university is putting both academic freedom and its Jewish students at risk. here
INTERNATIONAL
· 8/16, a young Palestinian woman who was evacuated from Gaza to an Italian hospital in critical condition has died, Pisa University Hospital announced. The 20-year-old, identified by Italian media as Marah Abu Zuhri, arrived in Pisa aboard an Italian government humanitarian flight. Hospital officials said her condition was “very complex” and that she was suffering from severe emaciation — a condition marked by extreme weight loss and muscle wasting. After undergoing medical tests and beginning treatment on Friday, she suffered a sudden respiratory crisis and cardiac arrest and could not be saved. (Palestine Chronicle 8/16)
· UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden decry E1 expansion. here
· International Criminal Court (ICC) has said it "deplores" new US sanctions on its judges and prosecutors. US State Department announced new sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors in the ICC for engaging in efforts to prosecute US and Israeli citizens. here
· Egypt has deployed additional forces along the border with Gaza amid rising fears that Israel’s planned occupation of the strip could push Palestinians into North Sinai. About 40,000 soldiers are now deployed in North Sinai, almost double the number allowed under the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty. here
SOURCES
OCHAOPT, Center for Constitutional Rights, oPt Protection Analysis Update, Mondoweiss, Palestine Chronicle, New Profile, +972, Drop Site, DAWN, Democracy Now, Portside, Common Dreams, Haaretz, Middle East Eye, Washington Post, BBC, New Yorker
