In Gaza, families like Amina’s are struggling to survive as their shelters are soaked and unsafe, leaving children unable to sleep. Millions of residents face the dual threats of flooding, heavy rain, and ongoing bombing, creating an urgent need for life-saving aid.
Access to humanitarian assistance has been severely restricted following a recent Israeli ban on dozens of humanitarian groups, a move that independent UN human rights experts have warned violates international law. The experts cautioned that this strategy risks forcing Palestinians into chronic deprivation, threatening their survival and potentially violating the Genocide Convention.
Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the launch of Phase Two of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, which includes a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration and a national committee for Gaza’s administration. Guterres stressed that any initiative that alleviates civilian suffering, supports recovery, and advances a credible political horizon is positive. He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting efforts to end the occupation and achieve a two-State solution in line with international law.
Humanitarian reports indicate that nearly 800,000 people, almost 40 percent of Gaza’s population, now live in flood-prone sites where winter storms have rendered shelters uninhabitable. Hundreds of tents and makeshift shelters have been destroyed, leaving over 3,000 people exposed to severe weather, and more than 60 buildings in Gaza City are at risk of collapse.
Access remains heavily restricted, with the Israeli military deployed in over half of Gaza beyond the so-called “Yellow Line,” limiting entry to aid facilities, public infrastructure, and agricultural land. Detonations and bulldozer activity continue in these areas, and Palestinian access to the sea is prohibited, with reports of fishermen being killed or detained.
Since 30 December 2025, Israel has banned 37 international NGOs from operating in Gaza and the West Bank, blocking nearly $50 million in life-saving aid amid repeated ceasefire violations. Earlier in December, UN agencies and NGOs were only able to deliver 14,600 tents for 85,000 people, leaving 1.3 million Palestinians without adequate winter shelter. Several people, including six children, have already died from hypothermia, drowning, or cold-related injuries.
Independent experts described the situation as dire, stating that there are “no words left to describe what Gaza has become,” underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian access and international intervention.
