UN relief chief: fewer families hungry, but Gaza’s needs remain vast

On 18 June, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, briefed the Security Council on Gaza. He said the share of households reporting going to bed hungry had fallen from 92% to 36%, and that Gaza was no longer classified as being in famine (OCHA).

Large gaps remained. UN partners had provided shelter for more than 600,000 people, but 70% of the population still needed proper shelter. Fletcher cited WHO reporting that no hospital was fully operational, and UNICEF warning that water remained a daily uncertainty for 1.1 million children (OCHA).

Gaza is being held together by humanitarian workarounds and Palestinian perseverance.

Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, 18 June 2026

Key figures

• Households going to bed hungry: down from 92% to 36% (OCHA)
• 70% of the population still needs proper shelter (OCHA)
• 1.1 million children face daily uncertainty over water (UNICEF, via OCHA)
• No hospital fully operational (WHO, via OCHA)

Sources

• UN OCHA oPt: UN Relief Chief tells Security Council Gaza civilians cannot wait for diplomacy (18 June 2026)

Photo: Mohammed Ibrahim / Unsplash · Jabalia camp, Gaza, Palestine