DaysofPal- The United Nations has warned that Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip continue to endure severe winter conditions, reporting that 11 children have died from exposure to extreme cold since the start of winter.
Speaking at a press briefing in New York on Friday, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said staff from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that families across Gaza are still struggling to cope with harsh weather and inadequate shelter. He noted that another child died from cold-related causes last week, raising the total number of such deaths this winter to eleven.
Haq explained that since October, the United Nations and its partners have distributed tens of thousands of tents and provided shelter assistance to more than half a million people. However, he stressed that these tents offer only minimal protection, especially during winter storms and low temperatures.
He said the UN continues to press for more durable housing solutions to reduce reliance on tents, while also calling for the uninterrupted and expanded entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Gaza.
Turning to developments in the occupied West Bank, Haq reported that electricity and water supplies were cut in recent days to schools and health centers in East Jerusalem. These outages disrupted essential services for thousands of residents.
Haq urged Israel to lift restrictions on relief operations, including the ban imposed on the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other international humanitarian organizations. He emphasized that all aid partners must be allowed to bring in supplies and operate freely in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
His remarks followed Israel’s decision to revoke the licences of 37 international aid organizations involved in delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Experts have warned that the move carries political implications and threatens the basic survival of Palestinians.
Israel announced that the organizations’ activities will be suspended starting January 1, 2026, with full termination required by March 1 of the same year. Authorities cited alleged failures to submit staff lists and comply with newly introduced security registration procedures, ordering the organizations to leave the country by March.
The decision affects major international organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Caritas, CARE, and the International Rescue Committee.
The measure is based on a law passed by Israel in March 2025 that requires humanitarian organizations working in the Palestinian territories to renew their licenses and provide detailed information on Palestinian staff for security screening.
Humanitarian groups have expressed concerns over such requirements, which risk arbitrary use of personal data and violate data protection standards. They caution that license cancellations could force the closure of offices in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, further deepening the humanitarian crisis.
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