UN calls to lift restrictions immediately to deliver more aid to Gaza

United Nations officials reported that the rains, floods, and severe cold in Gaza have exacerbated the situation in the sector, emphasizing the urgent need to lift restrictions to deliver more humanitarian aid.

Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, stated in a post on the American platform "X" on Tuesday: "The Palestinians in Gaza are suffering from cold and dampness after the recent rains, and frustration is growing as flood levels rise and what little property they have left is destroyed."

Fletcher noted that the UN and its partners are working to provide assistance, but the need is much greater, calling for: "The remaining restrictions must be urgently lifted to deliver more aid."

On another note, Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said at a press conference held on Tuesday at UN headquarters that humanitarian aid staff from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continue to distribute tents, plastic coverings, and other essential relief materials to families affected by the rains.

Haq added that in this context, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) has allocated $18 million from the Humanitarian Fund for the Occupied Palestinian Territory to support vital operations throughout Gaza.

Haq explained that the heavy rains and winter conditions have worsened the difficult living conditions in Gaza, noting that this funding will allow for progress on projects related to basic needs such as food, water, health, and shelter in the sector.

In recent days, a low-pressure system accompanied by winds and rain has struck the Gaza Strip, causing tens of thousands of tents housing displaced persons to flood, leaving them without their last remaining shelter and belongings, after Israel destroyed their homes over two years of genocide.

The number of displaced persons in the Gaza Strip, according to estimates from the government media office, is 1.5 million Palestinians, who live in a tragic reality due to the lack of basic life necessities and difficulty accessing essential supplies, compounded by the ongoing Israeli blockade.

Most of these displaced persons have taken refuge in damaged tents, while the government office estimated at the end of September that the percentage of tents that are no longer suitable for habitation reached about 93 percent, with 125,000 tents out of 135,000 being uninhabitable.

Over nearly two years of genocide, tens of thousands of tents have been damaged due to direct Israeli bombardment or targeting of their surroundings, while some have deteriorated due to natural factors such as high summer temperatures and winter rains and winds.

With these tents flooded, Palestinian displaced persons have no alternative shelter, as Israel has destroyed 90 percent of civil infrastructure over the past two years, with initial losses estimated at around $70 billion.

Israel also refuses to allow alternative shelter to be brought in, shirking its obligations outlined in the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on October 10.

This agreement halted a genocide that left more than 69,000 Palestinian dead and over 170,000 injured, most of whom are children and women.

On a daily basis, Israel violates the agreement, resulting in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Palestinians.