© VPP/M. Le Lijour Clearing rubble by hand in Jabaliya. Gaza: Expanding zones of Israeli control increases risks for civilians Peace and Security
The continued expansion of areas under Israeli control in Gaza following the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement is severely limiting the work of humanitarian organizations. UN agencies and humanitarian partners of the United Nations warned about this on Wednesday.
The warning comes amid ongoing massive displacement of people and growing humanitarian pressure throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory. A joint statement from a humanitarian group in the Occupied Palestinian Territory noted that the expansion of Israeli control, along with restrictions on movement, is reducing the capacity of aid workers and reducing the space available to civilians already repeatedly displaced by conflict.
Use of lethal force
According to the statement, the Israeli military has repeatedly used lethal force to keep people out of areas it controls. From October 10, 2025 to early April, the UN confirmed the deaths of 196 Palestinians as a result of attacks near Israeli military areas. Among the dead were 18 women and 43 children. Many were reportedly moving through areas where the terrain was not clearly marked.
Impact on humanitarian aid delivery
The statement also highlights the impact of restrictions on the work of humanitarian organizations: movement bans are causing delays and disruptions in the provision of life-saving assistance. Some humanitarian organizations have had to reduce or temporarily suspend critical program, which affected thousands of families.
Reducing space for civilians
UN agencies and the organisation’s humanitarian partners have warned that the expansion of controls is reducing the areas accessible to civilians. Most Gazans have already been forced to move multiple times and are now concentrated in increasingly confined spaces. According to the UN, restricted zones now cover about 65 percent of Gaza’s territory; most of them are closed to residents. Access from the sea is also blocked.
Demand to stop attacks
UN agencies and non-governmental organizations again called for an immediate end to attacks on Palestinians who move near Israeli positions. They stressed that civilians must always be protected in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law. Humanitarian agencies also warned that skin diseases and acute diarrhea continued to spread in Gaza due to overcrowding and poor water supplies. The problem cannot be solved due to serious barriers to access and a lack of funding: less than a quarter of the necessary funds for this year’s humanitarian plan have been received to date. Meanwhile, the UN Development Program reported this week that it has cleared half of the giant mountain of solid waste that has accumulated during the conflict in the Firas market in Gaza. UNDP called this a significant step towards restoring the historic shopping center. About 250 thousand cubic meters of garbage were removed, which occupied 75 percent of the market area.