Following two years of conflict, most of Gaza’s roughly two million residents are living in makeshift shelters, facing heightened risks due to the winter season and flood-prone areas. Humanitarian organizations are scaling up aid, including the distribution of winter clothing for children, increasing daily kits from 5,000 to 8,000. About 200 families have been relocated from shoreline communities to a safer site in what remains of Hamad city in eastern Khan Younis.
Efforts to mitigate flooding include distributing tents, tarps, bedsheets, and winter clothing, reinforcing high-risk areas with sandbags, clearing storm drains, and removing solid waste. In parallel, 65 classrooms previously used as shelters have been cleaned and readied for learning, although education materials remain blocked, delaying children’s return to school.
Food assistance continues, with 260,000 people receiving two food parcels and a 20-kilogram bag of flour via 60 distribution sites across Gaza. For the first time since August, 3,500 veterinary kits entered Gaza, supporting over 100 herders and donkey owners, highlighting the role of livestock in food security. Security incidents remain a concern, including bullets hitting the ground floor of a UN-run health center in Deir Al-Balah near the border with Israel, though no casualties were reported.
UNICEF has warned of a deepening global crisis for children, noting that funding shortfalls are forcing lifesaving programs to close. The agency appealed for over $7 billion to support 73 million vulnerable children in 2026, citing rising attacks on schools and hospitals, record child displacement, and the strain on frontline teams. More than 200 million children worldwide are projected to need humanitarian assistance next year. UNICEF urged governments, donors, and private partners to increase investment in children and protect aid access before the situation worsens.
Donors have pledged just over $300 million to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which provides urgent aid to populations affected by conflict and disasters. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher emphasized that a fully funded CERF, which requires $1 billion annually, is a critical lifeline. Funding has declined from last year’s $351 million pledge, reflecting growing financial challenges for humanitarian operations. Established 20 years ago, CERF has provided nearly $10 billion in assistance across more than 100 countries and territories, including $435 million this year to support millions in 30 countries.
