GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher has warned that continued delays in delivering essential winter supplies to Gaza are putting Palestinian lives at risk, as heavy rainfall, flooding, and severe shortages of adequate shelter deepen the humanitarian emergency facing hundreds of thousands of displaced families.
In a statement published Wednesday, November 11, by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Fletcher said restrictions on humanitarian supplies, funding shortages, and repeated delays had already contributed to loss of life and left civilians increasingly vulnerable to dangerous winter conditions.
Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said the United Nations had warned for months about Gaza’s urgent need for winter supplies, including during meetings of the UN General Assembly.
He revealed that international partners had repeatedly linked progress on humanitarian access to political developments in Israel, initially urging the UN to wait until after Israeli elections and subsequently until a new government was formed.
Fletcher rejected those explanations, stressing that delays tied to government formation were not an acceptable justification under international humanitarian law.
He warned that the consequences of prolonged inaction were already visible across Gaza, where displaced Palestinians face flooding, cold weather, and inadequate shelter.
More than 70,000 tents flooded as winter storm batters Gaza
Fletcher’s warning came as Gaza continued to struggle with the aftermath of a powerful winter storm that swept through the territory, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, approximately 70,000 tents sheltering more than 300,000 Palestinians were flooded during just 12 hours of rainfall.
Those affected included children, women, and older people, many of whom were already living in deteriorating shelters after repeated displacement.
The Government Media Office estimated material losses from the storm at approximately $3 million while reporting injuries and extensive damage to tents and personal belongings.
Palestinian Civil Defense teams received more than 2,166 emergency calls after the storm began, highlighting the scale of the disaster and the urgent need for rescue equipment and emergency supplies.
Rescue teams said their ability to respond remained severely limited by shortages of machinery, fuel, and other essential resources.
Concerns are also growing over dozens of damaged buildings and unstable structures that could collapse under continued rainfall, threatening families sheltering in unsafe buildings and nearby tents.
Five Palestinians killed in tent collapse, including three children
The deadly consequences of Gaza’s deteriorating living conditions became apparent Sunday evening when a rain-soaked sand embankment collapsed onto a tent sheltering two families in the Hawouz al-Baraka camp, south of Deir al-Balah.
Five Palestinians, including three children, were killed in the collapse, while six others were injured, some critically, according to local reports.
The tragedy underscored the dangers facing displaced Palestinians who have been forced to seek shelter in flood-prone areas and near unstable structures.
With homes and infrastructure extensively damaged by Israel’s military offensive, many families have little choice but to remain in tents and makeshift shelters that provide inadequate protection from winter weather.
Aid restrictions and equipment shortages deepen the emergency
The worsening conditions have prompted renewed appeals from Gaza to the United Nations, the international community, and countries involved in mediating the ceasefire agreement.
Palestinian officials and humanitarian organizations are calling for urgent intervention to deliver winter supplies, strengthen temporary shelters, and prevent further victims.
The emergency has also highlighted the need for construction materials, more durable shelter units, and equipment to repair damaged infrastructure.
Civil Defense teams and municipal workers continue to face major obstacles in responding to flooding, including shortages of heavy machinery and essential equipment.
Humanitarian organizations have warned that conventional tents and temporary measures are no longer sufficient to protect displaced families from increasingly dangerous winter conditions.
Rapid repairs to damaged buildings, stronger emergency shelters, and improved drainage systems are urgently needed to reduce the risks facing civilians.
Fletcher’s warning underscores the consequences of delaying humanitarian assistance while Gaza’s displaced population remains exposed to severe weather.
With further winter storms possible, aid organizations are pressing for immediate access to essential supplies and equipment to prevent additional loss of life and protect hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in vulnerable conditions.
