UN: Humanitarian Needs in Gaza and the West Bank Estimated at $1.2 Billion

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicated today, Friday, that "the cost of meeting humanitarian needs in Gaza and the West Bank is estimated at around $1.2 billion." The office added that "the cost to meet the needs of 2.7 million people - the total population of Gaza and 500,000 people in the occupied West Bank - is approximately $1.2 billion." It noted that "the situation has been deteriorating increasingly since then." On October 12, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs launched an initial appeal to raise $294 million to support nearly 1.3 million people. The UN Human Rights Office described the situation in the West Bank as "concerning," stating that "Israeli forces are increasingly using military tactics and weapons in their law enforcement operations there." Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the office, said, "While attention has been focused on attacks within Israel and the escalation of hostilities in Gaza since October 7, the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is troubling."