Gaza City – Humanitarian organizations are struggling to deliver vital assistance to the Gaza Strip due to stringent restrictions imposed by Israel, according to a leading aid official. The limitations are severely impacting the lives of residents, particularly as winter approaches.
James Hopewell, Humanitarian Policy Advisor at Oxfam, stated that Gazans urgently need more essential goods, including blankets, winter clothing, medicine, tents, and shelter. He emphasized that alleviating the crisis requires reducing restrictions that impede the work of humanitarian organizations and opening more border crossings.
Hopewell noted the direct impact of these restrictions on the daily lives of ordinary Gazans. His concerns echo those raised by Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), who recently stated that recent rainfall has exacerbated the suffering of the population. Lazzarini stressed the critical need to open all crossings and secure winter supplies.
UNRWA reportedly has thousands of trucks loaded with humanitarian aid stationed in Egypt and Jordan, but Israel is allegedly preventing their entry into Gaza. Lazzarini asserted that the amount of aid currently permitted is insufficient to meet the basic needs of the population.
Reports indicate a severe shortage of adequate shelter. Earlier this week, UN data revealed that 93% of existing displacement tents in Gaza are now unsuitable for habitation due to weather conditions and damage from Israeli bombardment over the past two years of conflict and repeated displacement.
The data highlights an urgent need for 450,000 tents to house displaced persons. However, only 15,000 tents have been allowed into Gaza since the ceasefire last month. The United Nations has stated that at least 125,000 tents require immediate replacement, with 13,000 families facing extremely harsh conditions with the onset of winter and rainfall.
Civil defense authorities in Gaza have appealed for 350,000 tents to meet the needs of residents affected by the recent severe weather.
