Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt)

In October 2023, violence seriously escalated in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the Gaza Strip. Large-scale internal displacement, severe food insecurity and increased dependency on humanitarian aid has resulted.

Insecurity Insight monitors conflict events affecting health care, food security and protection as well as incidents of conflict-related sexual violence in the occupied Palestinian territories. Our data can be downloaded on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) and corresponding reports can be accessed below.

Emergency medical team members and volunteer doctor injured in Jenin city
As reported on 11 September 2024: In Jenin city and governorate, Israeli forces directly targeted PRCS ambulances, injuring two Emergency Medical Team (EMT) members and a volunteer doctor. These obstructions hindered the delivery of essential supplies and medical services. Source: OCHA Update 216. Return to oPt home page. more
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Health

2023 Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) Factsheet

Based on Insecurity Insight data, the SHCC identified 761 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) in 2023, compared to 172 in 2022. Hospitals were shelled by Israeli artillery and tank fire and subjected to Israeli air and missile strikes. The vicinity of hospitals and health facilities were hit multiple times by airstrikes destroying main roads and surrounding buildings and hindering medical crews ability to reach casualties and wounded Palestinians. Ambulance drivers, doctors, dentists, gynecologists, hospital staff, janitors, laboratory technicians, medical students, nurses, opticians, orthopedists, paramedics, pharmacists, psychologists, physiotherapists, program heads/administrators, surgeons, and volunteers from local humanitarian relief groups were killed, injured, and arrested. In several cases, entire families that had multiple members who were medical professionals were killed in single attacks, usually while they were at home. Available in Arabic and English.

A Disturbing Trend: Over 1000 Attacks on Health Care in the oPt since 07 October 2023

Over 1000 recorded attacks on health care have been recorded in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), five months into Israel’s assault on Gaza following attacks by Hamas-affiliated militant groups from Gaza into southern Israel on 07 October 2023. In the last six months the oPt has become the third conflict to report over 1000 attacks on health care. Last August, 18 months after Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022, over 1,000 attacks were recorded. A few months later in November, this horrific milestone was reached in Myanmar, 30 months after the military coup in February 2021.

Our data is available to download and can be explored visually using our interactive Attacked and Threatened: Health Care at Risk map.

Conflict and Hunger

Since the severe escalation of hostilities in the occupied Palestinian territories following the events of 7 October 2023, food insecurity has seriously deteriorated in the Gaza Strip. Bakeries have been bombed, agricultural land has been degraded and large areas of greenhouses have been destroyed. Meanwhile, the entrance of humanitarian food aid has been severely restricted. Insecurity Insight has documented how this situation has produced catastrophic food insecurity in Gaza in reports which are accessible below. Data on incidents of food-related violence in the Gaza Strip is available for download here.

Protection

Since violence seriously escalated in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories on 7 October 2023, Insecurity Insight has been documenting the increase in attacks at refugee camps in Gaza and the West Bank. This data is available for download here

In Gaza, damage to refugee camps by explosive weapons was frequently reported with some camps being hit multiple times a day or on a daily basis. Within the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israeli forces increased their security operations in refugee camps, killing, arresting and injuring camp residents and damaging public and private infrastructure. The majority of incidents were attributed to Israeli forces, whilst Fatah, the Qassam Brigades and other unidentified armed groups were also named as perpetrators but less often. 

Sexual Violence

Insecurity Insight documents reported incidents of conflict-related sexual violence in the occupied Palestinian territories. Although many incidents go unreported, our data – available for download here – provides insights into the patterns and contexts in which these incidents take place.

Since 7 October 2023, Insecurity Insight has documented an increase of publicly reported incidents affecting Palestinian detainees during their detention inside Israeli detention centres or whilst being transferred to these facilities.  

Attacks on Education

Since 7 October 2023, Insecurity Insight has documented an increase in attacks and threats to education facilities. This data is available for download here.

In Gaza, education facilities – including schools, UN schools and universities – have suffered large-scale damage and destruction primarily from explosive weapons. Additionally, since the increase in hostilities and the large-scale Israeli evacuation orders, these schools have been used as temporary shelters for displaced persons. As a result, children living in Gaza, who made up nearly half of the population in the Gaza Strip as of 2022, have been deprived of education. 

In the West Bank, schools have been subjected to Israeli military raids with tear gas and sound bombs being fired on the school premise and students and teachers being arrested, injured or killed. 

Explosive Weapons

Since 7 October 2023, Israeli forces have carried out an intensive aerial bombardment campaign on the Gaza Strip – damaging and destroying civilian infrastructure including health facilities, education facilities and refugee camps and killing or severely injuring thousands of civilians, particularly women and children. 

Insecurity Insight has been documenting the use of the explosive weapons which impacted health care, education, protection and food security. This data is available for download here. Our latest report examines the impact of explosive weapon use in populated areas (EWIPA) on healthcare in 2023.