Oxfam is committed to providing life-saving aid and support to people in Gaza.
- During the ceasefire, thousands of people were moving out of tents and shelters, beginning the arduous task of rebuilding their lives.
- Hundreds of trucks entered Gaza, bringing much-needed aid after prolonged restrictions - this flow of aid has now ended.
- People in Gaza have immediate needs for food, water, medicines, and shelter, with a long-term focus on rebuilding infrastructure.
- Oxfam emphasizes the importance of free and safe movement for humanitarian workers to deliver aid effectively, and efficient coordination of the humanitarian response in Gaza.
In the period following the beginning of hostilities in early October 2023, Oxfam has supported local partner efforts to distribute cash, food, and hygiene items to people in Gaza. In early 2024, Oxfam began working with our partners to provide clean, desalinated water from wells in southern Gaza with solar-powered pumps, trucking water to areas hosting displaced people, and installing latrines.
By working closely with our partners in Gaza, Oxfam has helped reach more than 1.2 million people with humanitarian assistance.
Aid for families in Gaza
Cash
Since October 2023, Oxfam partners have distributed cash to thousands households (more than 20,000 people). Our monitoring shows that recipients use the cash primarily to buy food, water, medicines, and hygiene items. Providing cash rather than goods respects people’s right to prioritize their spending based on their circumstances and preferences.
Food
- Oxfam worked closely with six partner organizations to procure and distribute 18,709 ready-to-eat food parcels, with items such as beans, peas, tuna, sardines, dates and dried apricots. These parcels supported 91,173 people in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir el Balah areas of Gaza.
- Oxfam partners also distributed 31,207 fresh vegetable parcels (including tomatoes, onions, potatoes, lemons and peppers) to 187,242 people. The vegetables were sourced from farmers in the West Bank, Rafah, Khan Younis and Middle Area, and distributed by our partners Economic Social Development Centre of Palestine and Agriculture Development Association to displaced families and host communities in Rafah, Khan Younis, and Deir el Balah.
- Oxfam assisted 300 farmers in Khan Younis and Deir el Balah with essential agricultural inputs such as soil sterilizers and fertilizers, while two nurseries were given support packages consisting of a solar power system, small equipment such as kitchen tools, and raw materials for food processing. Three women-led food businesses were also given raw materials and small equipment to continue their production of affordable food. Partners are also distributing seedlings, tools, and other agricultural inputs to families so they can grow their own vegetables. In the spring of 2025, Oxfam partners in Gaza plan to help more than 100 farming families with irrigation system components and technical support.
- Oxfam and partners have provided cash and cooked meals to people from Gaza working in the West Bank, or there temporarily receiving medical treatment. Many have been stranded there for many months. Oxfam provided meals to these workers and patients, reaching 227 people, each receiving two to three meals a day. Oxfam and Rural Women’s Development Society distributed $200 cash grants to 421 stranded patients and their companions.
Water, sanitation, hygiene
Beginning in October 2023, Oxfam and partners have delivered life-saving water and sanitation services to 587,136 people.
- We supplied water by truck to people in Gaza City, Middle Area, Khan Younis and Rafah, reaching 152,213 people.
- Oxfam managed to bring in five desalination units which were installed at wells across Rafah, Al-Mawasi, and Khan Younis in coordination with Palestinian Environmental Friends (PEF). The units operate with solar power for six hours daily, providing three liters of clean drinking water per person per day, reaching 48,422 people.
- Oxfam, together with Gaza’s Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, rehabilitated 15 damaged water networks in Gaza City, the Middle Area, and Khan Younis. This has given 309,129 people access to water. Damaged wastewater networks in 23 sites were also rehabilitated, supporting 143,000 people.
- Oxfam supplied latrine slabs, latrine superstructures, tap stands, and handwashing stations that enabled partners to build 216 latrines that supported 27,107 people.
- Together with partners PEF and Palestinian Medical Relief Society, Oxfam distributed 6,407 hygiene kits and 12,136 jerry cans and Oxfam buckets, supporting 62,802 people. The kits included items such as soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, menstrual pads, toothbrushes and toothpaste. Alongside supplying the kits, partners ran campaigns to inform communities about basic hygiene practices.
Protection
As part of our psychosocial support response, with a specific focus on psychological first aid, Oxfam partners conducted awareness-raising sessions for 5,040 adolescent girls in the south of Gaza. The sessions provided adolescent girls with a space to share their needs and concerns about risks they face, including support for survivors of gender-based violence.
Other protection work carried out by Oxfam partners included:
- Identifying and registering unaccompanied and separated children in health facilities and shelters in Rafah. The children, especially those who were exposed to heightened safety risks, were referred to relevant services.
- Distributing assistive devices to 227 people with disabilities, and personal and medical supplies to 335 people with specific needs in Rafah.
Oxfam and PEF distributed 12,775 female protection kits, including clothing, such as head scarf and dresses, and personal hygiene and self-care items, such as deodorant, menstrual pads and baby wipes. The kits were distributed to the same people who received hygiene kits.
Oxfam and partners are also providing shelter materials (tents, tarpaulins) and warm clothes to displaced people, and establishing safe areas for women and girls to gather for group counselling and other support for survivors of violence, and training to help people avoid risks from unexploded ordnance.
Advocating for peace in Gaza
Oxfam is urging the U.S. government to push for the protection of civilians and a lasting end to the fighting that results in real, sustainable security for Palestinians and Israelis.
This requires upholding commitments to end the blockade on Gaza and the occupation of the Palestinian Territory; facilitating unrestricted humanitarian access to avert the risk of famine and committing to the rebuilding of Gaza immediately in an inclusive, equitable and sustainable manner centered on the needs and voices of Palestinians.
Oxfam unequivocally condemns all violations of international law committed by Israel, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups. We call for justice and accountability for all those affected.
The Trump administration must do everything possible to achieve and preserve a permanent ceasefire, secure the release of all remaining hostages, and allow unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to reach the civilians who need it right now. The U.S. must stop lethal arms transfers to the Israeli government, which has systematically impeded aid and committed violations of international humanitarian law.
What challenges are the people of Gaza facing?
Up to 1.9 million
People in Gaza (80% of the population) have been displaced by conflict
50,000+
Palestinians have been killed in Gaza
370,000+
Homes destroyed in Gaza