One year since the ceasefire agreement, more than 1,400 people have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, nearly two million still need shelter, not a single hospital is fully functioning, and 1.4 million face crisis-level hunger. GAZA, 9 October 2026 – One year after the Gaza ceasefire agreement was reached, more than 100
humanitarian, human rights, and other civil society organisations say the ceasefire exists in name only,
with Israeli forces continuing to kill and injure Palestinians daily, and restrictions on aid, equipment and
rebuilding materials preventing families from recovering.
The killing and deprivation in Gaza must not be normalised under the cover of a ceasefire agreement,
the organisations working on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory warned today.
Mohsen Abu Ramadan, Palestinian NGO Network Board Member, said:
"Palestinian organisations are responding to immense needs under Israeli occupation with destroyed
offices, displaced staff, and shrinking budgets. Local and national organisations are first responders and
will remain, but we need to be protected. Governments must act to end Israel’s attacks and restrictions
on our work and donors must provide direct, flexible funding to meet the needs."
Over the past year, Israeli strikes, shootings and military operations have killed more than 1,400
Palestinians, including at least 327 children. Families and rescue workers have recovered hundreds of
bodies from the rubble, often with their bare hands, as Israeli authorities restrict the entry of machinery
needed to reach them. Many more remain buried and unreachable.
The Israeli military has also moved the so-called Yellow Line further into Gaza, beyond the withdrawal
line set out in the agreement, squeezing Palestinians into an increasingly small and overcrowded area.
Inger Ashing, Save the Children CEO, said:
"A ceasefire is meaningless if children are still being killed and families are still unable to rebuild their
lives. Since the ceasefire was announced, nearly one child has been killed every day. Families remain
trapped in a devastating cycle of loss and deprivation, unable to recover. Governments that backed this
agreement must use their influence to stop the killing and ensure children can access food, healthcare,
shelter and education. Gaza’s children have a right to safety and a future. Governments have the power
to help secure both, and they must use it.”
Recent satellite imagery shows the scale of devastation caused by Israeli forces, with neighbourhoods
reduced to rubble, homes flattened and agricultural land razed. More than 80% of structures across Gaza
have been damaged, including around two-thirds that have been destroyed.
As winter approaches, hundreds of thousands of families still live in tents, makeshift shelters or damaged
homes and face a fourth winter exposed to cold, wind and flooding. Nearly one in four households in Gaza is now headed by a woman, and these families are far more likely to be living in unsafe or
inadequate shelter.
For many, there is simply nowhere safe to go. Families are sheltering in war-damaged buildings at risk of
collapse. In September, 21 people, including 12 children, were killed when a damaged building collapsed
in Gaza City.
Jan Egeland, Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary General, said:
"It is utterly shameful that a full year after the ceasefire was signed, so little has improved for
Palestinians in Gaza. Families are still being forced to make impossible choices, between sheltering in
damaged and dangerous buildings or living in tents facing unbearable temperatures. Israeli restrictions
are still preventing the required equipment or materials, which are the only ways for communities to
begin rebuilding their lives. As winter approaches, all governments must take concrete steps to ensure
that the flow of aid increases without hindrance, so that Palestinians can finally begin the vast task of
recovery and reconstruction.”
These same restrictions are devastating essential services. Not one of Gaza’s 36 hospitals is fully
functioning, while medicines, equipment and fuel remain critically scarce. Newborn babies in incubators,
patients requiring oxygen or intensive care, older people and people with disabilities and life-changing
injuries are among those facing acute risks as specialised treatment, rehabilitation and assistive services
remain severely limited.
More than 18,500 patients, including at least 4,000 children, still need medical evacuation, and over
1,000 have died waiting.
Meanwhile, 1.4 million people are facing crisis-level hunger or worse through the end of the year. At the
same time, unsafe water and devastated sanitation systems continue to drive the spread of preventable
disease.
A year on, the pattern is unmistakable. Families are still being killed. Children are still dying of
preventable illness. Gaza is still littered with unexploded ordnance. Homes lie in rubble that cannot be
cleared, and aid cannot reach the people who so desperately need it. This is not what a ceasefire was
meant to deliver. It reflects the same conditions that twice led the UN Commission of Inquiry, in
September 2025 and again in June 2026, to conclude that Israel has committed genocide. The
international community’s responsibility does not end with an agreement on paper.
Agnes Callmard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, said:
"Accountability cannot be swept under the rubble. The recovery and future of Gaza cannot be separated
from a framework grounded in international law, justice, and the rights of victims. The persistent failure
to hold Israel accountable and press Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice’s binding
orders continues to fuel the atrocity crimes on a mass scale against Palestinians.”
EDITOR'S NOTES ● Casualties: At least 327 children killed and 547 injured during ceasefire period, according to Gaza
Ministry of Health; more than 5,000 injured overall (WHO - Global Health Cluster); more than
630 bodies recovered from rubble; many more remain buried or unreachable in areas under
Israeli military control (OHCHR).
● Yellow Line: area under Israeli control expanded from ~53% to ~63% of Gaza over the ceasefire
year (OCHA).
● Destruction: 82% of structures damaged, over two-thirds completely destroyed (UNRWA); 61
million tonnes of rubble, ~20x the amount generated by all wars worldwide over the past 18
years (The Guardian; UNDP).
● Destruction continuing under ceasefire: 9% increase in structures classified as completely
destroyed, 11 October 2025 to 11 August 2026. (UNRWA; UNOSAT)
● Concerns raised regarding rubble removal risking destruction of evidence of international
crimes; estimated 10,000+ people still buried beneath debris (OHCHR)
● Health: engine oil/spare parts shortages forcing hospitals to ration power; humanitarian vehicles
and ambulances grounded; deaths from preventable/treatable conditions, including
pregnancy-related complications. (OCHA)
● Women-headed households: nearly 1 in 4, roughly double the pre-war rate. (UN Women)
● Funding: <40% of the 2026 humanitarian response funded as of July. (OCHA)
● Water insecurity: >9 in 10 households. (OCHA)
Signatories: - A New Policy
- Act Church of Sweden
- Action For Humanity
- ActionAid
- Agricultural Development Association (PARC)
- Ajyal Association for Creativity & Development
- Alanqaa Association for Community Development
- Al Najda Social Association
- Al-dameer Association for Human Rights
- Al-Foukhary Association For Rural Development
- Al-Muntada Cultural Forum for Youth
- Alrahma charitable society for rehabilitation
- Alwaleed Charity Association
- American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
- Amnesty International
- Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem
- Arab Agronomists Association
- Arab Center for Agricultural Development (ACAD)
- Basma Society for Culture and Arts.
- Beesan Benevolent Association
- Brilliant Tomorrow for Homes Sons Society
- Bystanders No More
- Caritas Internationalis
- Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
- Catholic Caucus , Christians for Free Palestine
- Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
- CESVI
- Child Rights International Network (CRIN)
- Children Not Numbers
- Choose Love
- Christian Aid
- Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
- Churches for Middle East Peace
- CIDSE - International family of Catholic social justice organisations
- CNCD-11.11.11
- Community Development and Media Center – CDMC
- Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu)
- DanChurchAid
- Danish Muslim Aid
- Danish Refugee Council
- DEFENCE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL
- Democracy and Workers' Rights Center in Palestine
- Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
- Diakonia
- Doctors Against Genocide
- Dr. Haider Abdel Shafi Center for Culture and Development
- Etijahat Center
- Fares Al-Arab for Development and Charity Works
- Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR)
- Friends Committee on National Legislation
- Future Association for Development & Environment (FADE)
- Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agriculture Platform
- General Palestinian Union For People With Disabilities
- Give Palestine Association
- Glia
- Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P)
- Global Legal Action Network (GLAN)
- Greenpeace International
- HelpAge International
- Human Rights and Democracy Media Center-SHAMS
- Humanity and Inclusion (Handicap International)
- International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights- ICSPR
- International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF)
- International Media Support
- Islamic Relief
- JAHALIN SOLIDARITY
- Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
- Just Foreign Policy
- Karama for Culture and Arts
- Kotof El-Khair Association
- LABOR RESOURCES CENTER
- Local Communities Organization
- MA'AN Development Center
- Médecins du Monde International Network
- Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
- Medico international
- Mennonite Central Committee
- Nafs for Empowerment
- National Justice and Peace Network
- Nipponzan Myohoji - New England Peace Pagoda
- Nonviolent Peaceforce
- Norwegian Church Aid
- Norwegian People's Aid
- Norwegian Refugee Council
- Olof Palme International Center
- Oxfam
- Palestine Association for Development and Justice
- Palestine Avenir for Childhood Foundation
- Palestinian Crescent Society for Relief and Development
- Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO)
- Palestinian Women Union Association
- Pax Christi England and Wales
- Pax Christi International
- Peace Action
- Peace Action New York State
- Peace Pledge Union
- Première Urgence Internationale
- Priests Against Genocide USA
- Refugees International
- Right to Childhood
- Roya Association For Development Abilities
- Saferworld
- Save the Children
- Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
- Society of Women Graduates
- Taghreed Association for Culture and Development
- Tearfund
- Terre des Hommes Foundation
- Terre des Hommes Germany
- Terre des Hommes Italy
- Terre des Hommes Netherlands
- The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity - AMAN
- The Danish House in Palestine (DHIP)
- The Middle East Children's Alliance
- The Palestinian Developmental Women Studies Association (PDWSA)
- The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy
- United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
- United Nations Association - Denmark
- UNRWA USA National Committee
- War Child Alliance
- Women's Program Center- Beach Camp
- Youth Vision Society
- Zeina women Charity ZWC
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