Winter storms deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis as the UN reports continued blockage of aid
A winter storm caused the roof of a war-damaged family home to collapse in Gaza City’s Shati refugee camp
Winter storms are further deteriorating living conditions for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, as humanitarian organizations warn that Israeli restrictions continue to obstruct the delivery of critical shelter assistance across the besieged territory.
The United Nations says it has tents, blankets, and other vital relief supplies ready for entry into Gaza, but Israeli authorities are still blocking or severely limiting access through border crossings.
In Gaza City’s Shati refugee camp, a war-damaged family home partially collapsed during the storm, according to rescue officials on Wednesday. Six Palestinians, including two children, were rescued alive from beneath the debris.
The incident follows a statement from Gaza’s Ministry of Health confirming that a two-week-old Palestinian infant died from exposure to extreme cold, underscoring the grave dangers faced by infants and elderly residents sheltering in inadequate conditions.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the storms have destroyed or damaged shelters and personal belongings throughout Gaza.
“The disruption has impacted approximately 30,000 children across Gaza. Immediate repairs are essential to allow activities to resume without delay,” said Farhan Haq.
The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza described the situation as “a genuine humanitarian catastrophe” unfolding across the Strip.
Ceasefire talks and aid access
The escalating humanitarian crisis coincides with talks in Washington, DC, between Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on stabilizing the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
Qatari officials said discussions centered on Doha’s mediation role, the urgent need for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, and advancing negotiations towards the second phase of a US-backed plan aimed at ending Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Arab News correspondent said Sheikh Mohammed stressed that humanitarian assistance must be allowed into Gaza without conditions.
“He emphasised that aid must enter Gaza unconditionally, a clear reference to repeated warnings from aid agencies that Israel is obstructing access for millions of people,” Fisher reported.
The Qatari prime minister also addressed the potential deployment of an international stabilization force in Gaza following the war, stressing that any such force must operate impartially.
“There has been growing discussion in the US in recent weeks regarding how such a force might be linked to the disarmament of Hamas,” Fisher added.
Sheikh Mohammed further urged swift movement towards implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, noting that progress must be made without delay. Fisher said US officials hope to announce early in the new year which countries may contribute troops to a stabilization force.
Israeli attacks continue
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli attacks continued in Gaza, with at least 11 Palestinians injured in strikes in central Gaza City, according to medical sources.
The Israeli military said it is investigating an incident in which a mortar shell fired near Gaza’s so-called yellow line failed to hit its intended target.
Arab News journalists in Gaza reported Israeli artillery fire east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Medical officials said Israeli gunfire also wounded two Palestinians in the Tuffah neighbourhood of eastern Gaza City.
In the occupied West Bank, where Israeli military and settler violence has intensified, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces shot and wounded a man in his 20s in the foot in Qalqilya. He was hospitalized and is reported to be in stable condition.
Since October 2023, at least 70,668 Palestinians have been killed and 171,152 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities. In Israel, 1,139 people were killed during the Hamas-led October 7 attack, and more than 200 others were taken captive.
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