The United Nations and its humanitarian partners on Friday urged swift entry of winter supplies into the Gaza Strip, saying “lives are at stake” after deadly rainfall over the past weekend.
The appeal came from the Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The team includes the leaders of UN agencies, along with international and local non-governmental organizations. In a statement, it said the impact of the latest rainstorm “was preventable.” It said children and adults were killed, critical services were suspended, and thousands of family shelters were flooded, swept away or torn apart. The statement did not give casualty figures.
The team blamed “policy decisions” rather than the storm alone. It said Israeli policies continue to obstruct the entry of critical items and access to most of Gaza’s land, including areas away from the shoreline that are less prone to flooding. The statement said incoming supplies face multiple approval requirements, limited crossing capacity and delivery windows that are unpredictable or narrow. UN News did not include a response from Israeli authorities.
The team said it presented a plan several months ago to help Palestinians prepare for winter. The plan covered shelter, improved health and protection services, drainage and sandbag reinforcement. It listed supplies that need to enter Gaza, including tents, warm clothes and blankets. It also named equipment for pumping water, removing debris and clearing explosive ordnance. The plan also spelled out the need for sufficient funding, expedited entry of critical supplies and access to higher ground.
The statement said funding “has fallen far short of what is needed.” It said more than 150,000 tents are outside Gaza waiting to be dispatched. It said needs inside Gaza are growing because each rainstorm destroys more tents and requires more replacements.
UN News, in its own account, said cold and rainy weather, severe overcrowding, deteriorating shelters and poor water and sanitation conditions have created a high disease-transmission environment across Gaza.
The statement pointed to Israel’s obligation as the Occupying Power to ensure the basic needs of Gaza’s population, including supplies essential for survival. It called on Israeli authorities to expedite the entry of life-saving supplies, lift restrictions and enable the repair of water and wastewater networks. It also asked that all humanitarian partners be allowed to operate, including UN agencies, international organizations and Palestinian aid groups, and that meaningful commercial activity be allowed.
The team said winter will last for months and that access to longer-lasting shelter “must not be made conditional on political progress.” It also urged UN member states to use their influence to see that these steps are taken quickly and to provide humanitarian funding without delay.
The statement did not say how many people were killed in the storm or how many shelters were damaged beyond “thousands.” It also did not say how much funding the winter plan requires.