Gaza continues to face a severe humanitarian and political crisis. Despite the ceasefire, life for people in Gaza remains dangerous, uncertain, and increasingly desperate. For unionists and supporters committed to human rights, social justice, and solidarity, it’s critical to understand the current situation and the actions needed.
Humanitarian Situation
Access to humanitarian aid in Gaza remains heavily restricted. Key organisations have been de-registered, UN coordination is obstructed, and the flow of supplies and personnel is inconsistent. This has left the populations without sufficient food, medicine, or basic services.
Extreme weather has made conditions worse. Heavy rains and flooding have damaged thousands of shelters, with nearly 800,000 people, around 40% of Gaza’s population, in flood-prone areas without adequate sanitation or drainage, putting them at high risk of disease. Children, in particular, remain vulnerable: over 100 children have been killed since the ceasefire, and many more face malnutrition, psychological trauma, and disrupted education.
Food prices have skyrocketed amid widespread unemployment, and the health system is near collapse. While some hospitals and roads have been partially repaired, less than 40% of healthcare facilities are operational. Education is also severely affected, with children missing two consecutive years of schooling.
Ongoing Military Presence and Violence
Even after the ceasefire, the Israeli military remains deployed across more than half of Gaza. Beyond this ‘yellow line’, access is restricted to public infrastructure, humanitarian facilities, farmland, and the sea. Reports of airstrikes, shelling, residential demolitions, and attacks on fishers continue. The situation remains volatile and dangerous for civilians.
West Bank Escalation
Violence is also escalating in the West Bank, with illegal settler attacks on Palestinian communities increasing. In Hebron, for example, on January 19, The Israeli military has launched a “large-scale” operation, deploying hundreds of soldiers and heavy machinery in a move that has paralysed the city’s southern districts. Approximately 25,000 Palestinians are under curfew, schools have been closed, and UN facilities have been bulldozed.
Independent international investigations into settler violence and military operations targeting civilians are urgently needed.
Ceasefire “Phase Two” and Political Developments
A proposed second phase of the ceasefire aims to create a transitional Palestinian authority for recovery in Gaza, supported by an “international stabilisation force”. However, details are unclear, particularly around legitimacy, accountability, and Palestinian self-determination.
US President Donald Trump has announced a “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza, including figures like Tony Blair, Marco Rubio, and Jared Kushner (his son-in-law). The public Board’s charter shows how it centralises power in a single figure, bypassing multilateral institutions like the UN and undermining accountability to Palestinians.
Meanwhile, a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NGAC) is also proposed as a technocratic committee under the Board of Peace. Yet, it is not yet operational, and its authority is limited, with no meaningful reconstruction seen on the ground. The committee is currently based in Cairo and not operational yet as of 28 January.
What can we do?
For those committed to solidarity, workers’ rights, and international law, the situation in Gaza highlights urgent advocacy to:
- Defend multilateralism and the United Nations’ central role in Gaza’s reconstruction.
- Protect humanitarian space, opposing restrictions and the de-registration of aid organisations.
- Demand accountability for violations in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Advocate for the rights of civilians, especially workers, children, and those in need of healthcare, education, and livelihoods.
- Urge governments, including Australia, to align policy with international law, not unilateral initiatives like the Peace Board.
The crisis in Gaza is not only a humanitarian disaster, but it is also a call for sustained international solidarity and action. Unionists and supporters can play a role by demanding justice, supporting humanitarian aid, and holding governments accountable to international law.