Palestinian health officials report that the death toll in Gaza has reached 73,231 since October 2023, with at least 1,108 people killed since the October ceasefire. Ongoing military operations, including strikes on “humanitarian zones” and medical facilities, continue to disrupt aid delivery and essential services, while the UN warns of a deepening humanitarian crisis fueled by systemic restrictions on resources and infrastructure.
Diverging Data on Humanitarian Access
A significant gap exists between official Israeli military assessments and UN humanitarian reports regarding the state of aid in Gaza. COGAT, the Israeli military body coordinating aid, claims that supplies entering the territory have “significantly exceeded” needs identified by the UN. Major-General Yoram Halevy has publicly characterized those who dispute these figures as “amplifying Hamas propaganda,” according to The Times of Israel.
Conversely, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on July 10 that basic necessities remain in a state of “scarcity-by-design.” OCHA data indicates that food parcels distributed in early July met only 75 percent of minimum caloric requirements, leading to the suspension of high-energy biscuit distribution to preserve emergency stocks. Furthermore, only 56 percent of aid cargo routed through the Egypt corridor successfully reached the Karem Abu Salem crossing, while shelter assistance for families fell by 37 percent between May and June due to funding gaps and material entry restrictions.
Did you know?
The UN’s Health Cluster partners recorded more than 18,000 new cases of skin infections, chickenpox, and parasitic infestations in a single week, highlighting the public health consequences of severely disrupted essential services.
Infrastructure Collapse and Military Targeting
The operational capacity of Gaza’s medical sector is nearing a total shutdown. According to the Ministry of Health, 38 hospitals have been destroyed or rendered inoperable. On July 10, an Israeli drone strike hit the courtyard of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza—a facility located within an Israeli-controlled “green zone”—wounding staff. The Ministry of Health has labeled these events part of a “systematic targeting of health facilities.”
Field reports from the past week underscore the danger to civilians and aid workers. On July 8, a 10-year-old was killed in an al-Mawasi “humanitarian zone” tent strike, and a six-year-old was shot in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood. On July 9, Ahmad Nasser Saleem, a World Central Kitchen driver, was shot and killed while transporting aid with his hands raised, according to Palestinian health officials.
West Bank Annexation and Settlement Expansion
Research from Peace Now and Kerem Navot, published July 7, documents what it describes as the “de facto annexation” of the West Bank. Between 2023 and 2025, the groups recorded the establishment of 185 new outposts and 102 new settlements, with illegal farm outposts now controlling 1.1 million dunams—roughly 18 percent of the West Bank. This activity is characterized in the report as a “single, systematic government policy.”
The impact of this policy includes the destruction of agricultural assets and displacement of communities. In the northern Jordan Valley, military projects have uprooted hundreds of olive and grape trees and severed water lines. OCHA recorded at least 35 settler-led incidents causing casualties or property damage in a single week, contributing to a 2026 total exceeding 1,200 incidents across 240 communities.
Pro Tip: Tracking Land Seizure
Monitoring the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission reports provides data on land-seizure orders. In the first half of 2026 alone, authorities issued 49 such orders, surpassing the total issued in all of 2025.
Political Reform and Diplomatic Friction
The Palestinian Authority has moved toward potential legislative elections, with President Mahmoud Abbas decreeing a vote for November 28. This would be the first such election in 20 years. However, the announcement faces significant hurdles: the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, an outdated population registry, and the refusal of Israeli authorities to permit voting in occupied East Jerusalem.
Diplomatic tensions are also rising. US Congressman Ro Khanna reported being detained for over an hour by settlers while touring the village of Khirbet Zanuta, an account that contradicted the Israeli military’s claim that it had “dispersed” the settlers. Additionally, reports from Haaretz indicate that the Israel Prison Service has restricted Red Cross access to detainees, defying a recent High Court ruling.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many hospitals remain operational in Gaza? According to the Ministry of Health, 38 hospitals have been destroyed or rendered inoperable, with remaining facilities facing fuel shortages and partial shutdowns.
- What is the current status of Palestinian elections? President Mahmoud Abbas has set a date for November 28, but the process faces major logistical challenges, including Israeli restrictions in East Jerusalem and the current state of Gaza’s infrastructure.
- How many settler-related incidents have been recorded in 2026? OCHA data shows more than 1,200 incidents involving settler violence or property damage occurred in the first part of 2026.
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