DaysofPal – Amjad al-Shawwa, a leading civil society figure in Gaza and a key candidate reportedly favored by several Palestinian factions to head Gaza’s technocratic transition committee, warned on Tuesday that Israel is restricting critical winter aid to the enclave.
Shawwa highlighted that only 30,000 tents have been allowed into Gaza so far, a fraction of the 300,000 tents needed to protect displaced residents from the current harsh weather.
“The winter conditions demand ten times the number of tents permitted,” he said, stressing the urgency of the situation.
Heavy rains and strong winds have battered the territory for over a week, flooding and collapsing many of the makeshift shelters where displaced families have sought refuge.
Civil defense officials in Gaza warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe, citing the severe shortages of fuel and rescue equipment that could bring humanitarian operations to a standstill.
“The water pumps that survived previous bombardments are now out of fuel, and those still functional are waiting for gasoline to tackle the widespread flooding across displacement camps,” civil defense authorities stated.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that the expansion of humanitarian work, facilitated by the current ceasefire, continues to face significant obstacles.
Restrictions on visas and import approvals, limited operational border crossings, and constraints on the movement of aid teams within Gaza have hindered relief efforts.
Between November 12 and 18, the UN and its partners attempted to coordinate over 50 humanitarian movements with Israeli authorities, including shipments from the three operational crossings, search and rescue missions, road repairs, and staff deployments.
OCHA reported that more than a third of these movements were either rejected or initially approved but obstructed on the ground.
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