Gaza Herald — Gaza’s Governmental Winter Emergency Committee accused Israel on Wednesday of using claims about facilitating winter aid deliveries to conceal continuing restrictions on essential shelter supplies, warning that hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians remain exposed to severe weather in deteriorating tents.
The committee rejected statements by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office concerning winter preparedness, saying conditions on the ground contradict claims that Israel is facilitating the entry of urgently needed humanitarian assistance.
According to the committee, Israeli authorities continue to restrict the entry of rain-resistant tents, thermal insulation materials, heavy-duty drainage pumps, and equipment required by municipal and civil defense teams to respond to flooding.
“The reality on the ground contradicts talk of winter-related facilitation,” the committee stated.
It accused Israel of allowing limited quantities of supplies to enter Gaza while maintaining restrictions on equipment essential for protecting displaced families from winter storms.
The committee described the reported facilitation measures as a public relations effort intended to deflect international criticism while leaving Gaza’s humanitarian needs largely unmet.
It also warned that restrictions on fuel, machinery, and emergency response equipment have severely weakened the ability of municipal crews and civil defense teams to drain floodwater, repair damaged infrastructure, and respond to weather-related emergencies.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians continue to shelter in worn-out tents and makeshift structures that offer little protection against heavy rain, freezing temperatures, and flooding.
The committee stressed that the shortage of adequate shelter and emergency equipment threatens to deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, particularly as winter storms place additional pressure on damaged sanitation and drainage systems.
It called on the United Nations and the international community to demand the immediate and unconditional opening of Gaza’s crossings for the entry of emergency shelter materials, heavy machinery, drainage equipment, and fuel.
The committee warned that without urgent action to remove restrictions and strengthen emergency preparedness, further severe weather could trigger an escalating public health and humanitarian emergency for Gaza’s displaced population.
