The humanitarian situation in Gaza has been one of the most difficult and widely debated aspects of the Israel-Hamas war.

The October 2025 ceasefire significantly changed the humanitarian landscape. Israel expanded the flow of aid into Gaza, while international organizations continued working to address the enormous needs created by nearly two years of war. Yet disagreements persist over whether enough aid is entering Gaza, how it is being distributed, and the extent to which Hamas continues to interfere with humanitarian operations.

Understanding these issues requires looking beyond headlines. This explainer answers some of the most common questions about humanitarian aid in Gaza, how it is delivered, what challenges remain, and why the issue continues to generate intense international debate.

The Latest on Humanitarian Aid in Gaza

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has changed significantly since the October 2025 peace deal.

Israel says it has substantially expanded the amount of humanitarian assistance entering the Gaza Strip through the United Nations and other international organizations. According to Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), approximately 1.78 million tons of food entered Gaza between October 2025 and June 2026—roughly three times the amount the World Food Programme identified as necessary during that period.

COGAT also reports that:

• Prices for staple foods declined by approximately 72% between September 2025 and May 2026.
• More than 70,000 cubic meters of water are supplied to Gaza each day through pipelines, desalination facilities, and other infrastructure.
• More than 18,000 tons of medicines and medical supplies entered Gaza following the ceasefire.
• Humanitarian aid has shifted primarily back to established international organizations following the conclusion of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's operations.

Israeli officials argue these figures demonstrate that humanitarian aid entering Gaza has exceeded international humanitarian requirements and that today's primary challenge is distributing aid safely inside Gaza rather than bringing it into the territory.

The United Nations and humanitarian organizations acknowledge that aid access has improved since the ceasefire but continue to warn that many Palestinians remain displaced, infrastructure has been severely damaged, and humanitarian needs remain immense after nearly two years of war.

While there is broad agreement that humanitarian conditions improved following the ceasefire, significant disagreements remain over the extent of food insecurity, the effectiveness of aid distribution, and Hamas's continued role in influencing humanitarian operations inside Gaza.

Why Is Delivering Aid in Gaza So Difficult?

Delivering humanitarian assistance during an active armed conflict is extraordinarily complex.

Aid entering Gaza must move through border crossings, security inspections, damaged roads, and active combat zones before reaching civilians. Distribution is further complicated by widespread displacement, damaged infrastructure, limited fuel, and the collapse of many local government services.

One of the greatest challenges has been Hamas itself.

Throughout the war, Israel, the United States, and numerous independent observers have documented instances in which Hamas stole, taxed, diverted, or otherwise exploited humanitarian assistance intended for Palestinian civilians. Hamas has also operated within densely populated civilian areas, increasing the risks facing both humanitarian workers and civilians seeking aid.

These realities have forced humanitarian organizations to balance two equally important objectives:

• delivering lifesaving assistance as quickly as possible; and
• reducing the risk that aid strengthens Hamas rather than helping civilians.

There is no perfect system. Every aid mechanism has involved tradeoffs between speed, accessibility, neutrality, security, and accountability.

Has the Humanitarian Situation Improved Since the Ceasefire?

Yes—but significant humanitarian needs remain.

The October 2025 peace deal allowed humanitarian assistance entering Gaza to increase substantially.

According to Israeli officials, food deliveries expanded dramatically, water production increased, medical supplies entered in larger quantities, and market availability improved across much of Gaza.

COGAT reports that staple food prices declined by approximately 72% between September 2025 and May 2026, reflecting increased availability of food entering the territory.

At the same time, international humanitarian organizations continue to report that many Palestinians remain displaced, homes and public infrastructure have been devastated, and access to food, healthcare, sanitation, and shelter remains uneven throughout Gaza.

The humanitarian situation today reflects both realities.

Aid entering Gaza has increased significantly since the ceasefire, but rebuilding the territory and meeting the needs of millions of civilians will remain an enormous challenge for years to come.

Why Do Experts Disagree About Reports of Famine in Gaza?

Throughout the war, Israel, the United Nations, humanitarian organizations, and independent experts have often reached different conclusions about Gaza's humanitarian situation.

In August 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) concluded that famine conditions were present in parts of Gaza under its "reasonable evidence" methodology. Israeli officials strongly disputed those findings, arguing that key elements of the IPC assessment—particularly mortality estimates—relied on inference rather than sufficiently transparent data.

Since then, the humanitarian picture has changed considerably.

Following the October 2025 peace deal, humanitarian aid entering Gaza increased substantially. Israel argues that expanded food deliveries, declining market prices, improved water access, and increased medical assistance demonstrate that famine conditions have eased.

Humanitarian organizations generally agree that conditions improved following the ceasefire. However, they continue to warn that widespread destruction, displacement, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing distribution challenges leave many Palestinians vulnerable to severe food insecurity.

Does Hamas Still Divert Humanitarian Aid?

According to Israel, many Palestinian civilians, and numerous reports throughout the war, yes.

Since October 7, Hamas has repeatedly been accused of stealing, taxing, stockpiling, and diverting humanitarian assistance intended for Gaza's civilian population.

Israeli intelligence, videos released during the war, statements from Palestinian Authority officials, and testimony from aid workers have all pointed to Hamas's efforts to control humanitarian assistance as a means of financing its operations and maintaining political authority inside Gaza.

Israeli officials argue that Hamas has profited by taxing commercial goods, seizing aid shipments, and controlling local distribution networks. According to COGAT's July 2026 humanitarian assessment, remaining market distortions inside Gaza are now driven less by shortages than by Hamas's continued influence over commercial distribution mechanisms.

At the same time, humanitarian organizations acknowledge that aid diversion has occurred while differing over its scale and the most effective methods for preventing it.

How Is Humanitarian Aid Delivered in Gaza Today?

Humanitarian aid reaches Gaza through multiple international organizations and coordinated delivery systems.

Most humanitarian assistance is now delivered through the United Nations, the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), international NGOs, and other humanitarian partners working in coordination with Israel, Egypt, and international donors.

Before aid enters Gaza, it undergoes Israeli security inspections designed to prevent weapons and dual-use materials from reaching Hamas and other terrorist organizations. Once inside Gaza, humanitarian agencies are responsible for transporting and distributing food, medicine, shelter materials, and other essential supplies to civilians.

Despite increased aid entering the Strip since the ceasefire, distribution remains challenging. Damaged roads, destroyed infrastructure, ongoing security concerns, fuel shortages, and the sheer scale of humanitarian need continue to complicate relief efforts.

The humanitarian response has evolved throughout the war, but one objective has remained constant: getting assistance to Palestinian civilians while preventing Hamas from exploiting humanitarian operations.

What Happened to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)?

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) was launched in May 2025 as a U.S.- and Israel-backed initiative to deliver humanitarian aid directly to Palestinian civilians while bypassing Hamas.

Unlike traditional aid models, GHF operated secure distribution sites intended to reduce opportunities for Hamas to divert food and other supplies before they reached civilians.

The initiative distributed millions of meals during its months of operation but also became the subject of significant international debate. Humanitarian organizations raised concerns about its scale, accessibility, and operational model, while Israel and the United States argued that GHF represented an important effort to prevent Hamas from controlling humanitarian assistance.

The organization also operated in an extraordinarily difficult environment. Security incidents, large crowds, conflicting casualty reports, and persistent efforts by Hamas to disrupt aid distribution complicated its operations.

Following the October 2025 ceasefire and the expansion of humanitarian access through established international organizations, humanitarian assistance has largely shifted back to UN agencies and other international relief organizations.

While GHF no longer plays the central role it once did, the challenge it sought to address remains: how to ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians without strengthening Hamas.