Six months on from the ‘ceasefire’, IRC warns that Gaza’s deepening humanitarian catastrophe cannot be forgotten as world’s attention shifts away

Amman, Jordan, April 20, 2026 - Six months on from the announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that Gaza's humanitarian crisis is being forgotten as the world's attention shifts elsewhere in the Middle East, despite conditions within Gaza deteriorating at an alarming pace.

More than 2 million people remain displaced within Gaza, with the majority sheltering in makeshift tents whilst facing flooding and storms in winter and high temperatures in the summer. Families are being forced to survive without access to the most basic and life-saving supplies, stripped of essential goods needed to live safely with dignity. People remain trapped in a cycle of violence as continued airstrikes and military operations put civilians in danger, as basic infrastructure such as health, water services and aid operations continue to be severely constrained.

Faten, the IRC's Senior Protection Manager in Gaza, said

"Gaza's crisis is far from over. For millions of civilians, the emergency is ongoing, relentless, and life-threatening. Food insecurity remains widespread and severe. Approximately 1.6 million people, around 77% of Gaza's population, are expected to face acute food insecurity. Despite expanded distributions of food parcels, bread, and hot meals, families are struggling to meet even their most basic nutritional needs. Prices remain prohibitively high, placing food further out of reach for many.

"Gaza's healthcare system has all but collapsed with 94% of Gaza's hospitals destroyed or damaged. According to the Ministry of Health, 51% of essential medicines are currently at zero stock in Gaza, which is severely limiting the ability to treat patients with life-threatening conditions, including those requiring intensive care and cancer treatment. Hospitals are overwhelmed, under-resourced, and increasingly unable to provide adequate care.

"The destruction of schools has left children facing an uncertain future, deepening parents' fears about their education, while ongoing violence is driving severe psychological stress, particularly among children."

As global attention shifts elsewhere, there is a real risk that funding will decline and the already constrained humanitarian response will slow at a time when needs are extremely high.

The IRC calls on the international community to keep the needs of Gaza at the center of global attention. Sustained focus, funding, and a rapid and unimpeded scale up of aid are essential to prevent further loss of life. Protecting civilians, ensuring the safety of aid workers, restoring medical evacuations, and enabling the consistent flow of aid must remain urgent global priorities.

The IRC and our partners work to provide lifesaving services in the occupied Palestinian territory. In Gaza, we work to provide clean water, malnutrition treatment, protection and empowerment for women and children, early childhood development, psychosocial interventions, emergency reproductive health and address critical humanitarian needs. In the West Bank, the IRC and our partners continue to provide psychosocial interventions and early childhood development services, as well as build the capacity of community first aid workers.