More than 1 million residents of Gaza – half the territory's population – remain in urgent need of shelter assistance despite sustained humanitarian efforts, according to a Friday statement from the UN Secretary-General's office. This critical need persists even after the distribution of thousands of tents and hundreds of thousands of weatherproofing supplies following recent ceasefire agreements.
UN humanitarian teams report families enduring extreme winter conditions in damaged makeshift tents, with many structures compromised by coastal storms and flooding. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs emphasized the compounding challenges of managing sanitation systems, with waste management infrastructure operating at reduced capacity due to fuel shortages and landfill access restrictions.
While UNICEF-supported teams have removed 1,000 tonnes of solid waste monthly since hostilities paused, the UN Development Programme warns that environmental health risks continue escalating. Only a fraction of temporary waste sites remain operational, creating mounting public health concerns.
In a recent development, UN agencies and partner organizations have appealed to Israeli authorities regarding proposed restrictions on international NGOs, stressing these groups' vital role in delivering essential services across the occupied Palestinian territory.
