Oxfam teams are closely monitoring the humanitarian situation alongside our local partners and international organisations. We’re currently unable to conduct in-person assessments due to violence in occupied Palestinian territory.

When we can operate, our response will include providing people with clean water, sanitation and hygiene items, rehabilitation of water and wastewater networks that have been destroyed in the bombing, food and other essential household items for people who have lost their homes or their incomes.

If emergency shelters are created, we’ll provide support to people there.

The violence perpetrated on Israeli civilians by Hamas was appalling and Oxfam condemns the attacks in the strongest terms.

Our decision to respond in any crisis is always driven by humanitarian need alone — ensuring that people most in need of help are prioritised and taking into account the ability (or inability) of states to provide assistance for its people.

Even before the weekend’s attacks, 80% of people living in Gaza relied on international aid following 16 years of blockade. The Israeli government and local and national organisations have the capacity to meet the current needs in Israel. Oxfam’s humanitarian appeal is therefore focused on providing help to people affected by the crisis in Gaza.

While Oxfam is currently not responding in Israel, we are monitoring the situation carefully. Should that situation change we will reassess.

We condemn all attacks, violence and targeting of Palestinian and Israeli civilians. Attacks that deliberately target civilians are never justifiable. All parties must respect international law and cease their attacks. We have witnessed the deadliest day for civilians in the history of modern Israel and the deadliest year in the West Bank since UN records began. The cycle of violence must end.

We call for an immediate ceasefire. Civilians on both sides continue to pay the price for the failure of their leaders to resolve a conflict which has led to the longest occupation in modern history. This escalation of violence also underscores the persistent failure of world leaders to address the occupation and blockade. Unless the international community actively works to address these root causes that have been the catalyst for this new round of hostilities, this cycle of denial of rights and violence will only continue.

Humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow, in safety, to those people most in need. All humanitarian operations are now effectively frozen. It is impossible for agencies like Oxfam to restart them in the face of bombs, shells, rockets and bullets. Ordinary civilians have already borne the brunt of the violence and now those in Gaza face a double blow as the violence escalates and they are cut off from vital humanitarian aid and all public services.