Since the escalation of hostilities in Gaza in October 2023, and with renewed violence since March 2025, the humanitarian situation in the Strip has become catastrophic. More than 664,000 people have been newly displaced in just three months, many forced to flee their tents and shelters with nowhere to go. Families are sleeping on the streets or in partially destroyed buildings, clinging to survival in a devastated landscape.
Today, over 82% of the Gaza Strip is under displacement orders or within militarised zones. This means that the entire population — more than 2.1 million people — is squeezed into an area of around 70 square kilometres. To put it into perspective: Gaza’s population now lives in an area equivalent to just one-third of a city like Milan, Italy.
At the same time, humanitarian access remains critically limited. With the breakdown of the distribution network, desperate crowds are gathering around the few aid entry points authorised by the Israeli authorities — only four are currently operational. Tragically, these sites have become flashpoints: over 224 people have been killed, and more than 1,850 injured while waiting for food or attempting to approach aid convoys.
Hunger is widespread and worsening. More than 16,500 children under five have been diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition in 2025 alone, and at least 141 have been hospitalised with life-threatening complications. Among pregnant and breastfeeding women, nearly one in five is suffering from acute malnutrition. According to WHO, at least 554 people have been admitted to stabilisation centres due to serious complications linked to hunger.
In this context, access to water and hygiene becomes not only a health necessity, but a form of protection and dignity. Yet 90% of WASH infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, and 90% of households report water insecurity. With fuel nearly depleted across Gaza, hundreds of water wells risk shutting down completely, and desalination plants may cease to operate. Without fuel, it is also nearly impossible to distribute the little water that remains.
Reaching the Most Vulnerable through Tailored Interventions
To address these urgent needs, the Multisectoral Relief Assistance in Gaza project — funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) and implemented by CESVI in partnership with Welthungerhilfe (WHH) — has prioritised a tailored and community-led WASH response aimed at safeguarding health and restoring a sense of control in the lives of displaced people.
Over the course of the project, access to clean and safe water was progressively expanded: from 10,000 people reached in the first month, the water trucking service eventually supported over 37,500 individuals with potable water in April. In parallel, 23 displacement sites were equipped with latrines and water storage tanks, improving sanitation and hygiene conditions for nearly 19,000 people.
To promote healthy practices and prevent disease outbreaks in overcrowded shelters, CESVI distributed hygiene kits to 10,692 individuals, with a focus on mothers and caregivers. However, the delivery of other hygiene kits remains suspended due to the closure of Gaza’s border crossings — a consequence of ongoing hostilities and access restrictions.
Additionally, 275 hygiene promotion sessions were conducted across Gaza City, Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis, reaching 5,610 people — including 2,860 children — through participatory and age-appropriate methods such as storytelling, drawing, and games. These sessions were led by six trained female community mobilisers — all of them displaced themselves — who played a crucial role in building trust and encouraging behavioural change, particularly among women and children.
A Story of Transformation: Noha’s Journey
For Noha, a mother of four from Juhr Al-Deek, the project offered a vital turning point in a life shattered by war.
On 8 October 2023, an airstrike destroyed her home. With her husband injured and unreachable, Noha fled with her children in search of safety. They moved between tents and shelters, often walking hours for water and returning with nothing but contaminated seawater. “I swear I could see worms in the water, but we had no choice,” she recalls.
Her children soon fell ill with hepatitis, skin infections and malnutrition. When CESVI organised a hygiene awareness session in her shelter, it was the first time she felt equipped to protect her family again.
“I learned how to clean our space, use water more safely, and teach my children to brush their teeth. The shampoo helped us get rid of lice. Slowly, it felt like we were coming back to life,” she says.
After receiving a basic hygiene kit, Noha also began helping other mothers. “I started sharing what I had learned — how to wash hands, keep the tent clean, reduce infections. Even when there’s nothing, we can do something,” she explains. Today, she’s become a reference point for other women in the camp, quietly passing on the tools for dignity and resilience.
A Collective Commitment
Despite extreme operational constraints — including fuel shortages, insecurity, and access restrictions — the Multisectoral Relief Assistance in Gaza project has shown how an integrated, multi-component WASH response can effectively restore dignity, health, and hope. From water distribution to infrastructure upgrades, from hygiene kit delivery to awareness sessions, each activity played a critical part in improving the lives of displaced families.
In a context where clean water is scarce, infrastructure is collapsing, and every day is a fight for survival, this integrated approach has made a tangible difference — one that goes beyond numbers, restoring a sense of agency and collective resilience to thousands of people.
© Photos by CESVI and Welthungerhilfe (WHH)