The humanitarian pause, agreed upon by Israel and Hamas, was largely maintained on 27 November for the fourth consecutive day. It has enabled humanitarian actors, primarily the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies and UN agencies, to enhance the delivery of assistance into and across Gaza. To enable addressing the immense scope of needs, aid groups have called for the immediate re-opening of more crossing points, including for the entry of commercial goods.
On 27 November, dozens of UNRWA and Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) aid trucks reached areas north of Wadi Gaza (hereafter: the north). The assistance included medical supplies, ready-to-eat food, wheat flour, bottled water, tents and blankets, which were delivered to four UNRWA shelters and three main warehouses for subsequent distribution. The aid also included small amounts of fuel delivered to water production facilities, towards their reactivation following the completion of repairs. Prior to the pause, the north had been largely inaccessible, and residents remaining there have faced a dire humanitarian situation.
Aid distribution in areas south of Wadi Gaza (hereafter: the south), where the bulk of an estimated 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) are currently staying, also continued. UNRWA has continued distributing wheat flour to IDPs in and outside shelters. Key service providers, including hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, and IDP shelters, have continued receiving fuel on a daily basis enabling their operation.
On 27 November, 11 Israeli hostages held in Gaza and 33 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons were released. The freed hostages included two women and nine children. Among the Palestinian detainees were 30 boys and three women. Since the start of the pause, 150 Palestinians, 51 Israelis, and 18 foreign nationals have been released.
Humanitarian partners have increased efforts to educate people about the dangers of unexploded ordnance. This includes training of trainers, holding in-person information sessions for IDPs in shelters, sharing posters and sending text messages. These actions have become more urgent with the ongoing pause, because more people are now moving through areas that might be contaminated.
On 27 November, the UN Secretary-General called for “a full humanitarian ceasefire, for the benefit of the people of Gaza, Israel and the wider region,” alongside the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining hostages. He also commended the Governments of Qatar, Egypt and the United States for facilitating the current pause, recognizing the critical role of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Read the full report: Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel Flash Update #52
A logistics team from the Egyptian Red Crescent Society in Al Arish airport, Egypt, organizing and preparing humanitarian aid for transport into Gaza. Photo by the Egyptian Red Crescent Society
