UNRWA warns of deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid winter storms

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned Monday that the onset of winter is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

UNRWA media officer Inas Hamdan told Anadolu that displaced residents are facing dire conditions amid heavy rains, strong winds and rising sea waves.

“Displaced families are enduring tragic circumstances due to severe weather and an acute shortage of humanitarian aid,” she said.

Hamdan noted that many tents housing displaced families have been damaged by the harsh weather, leaving residents without adequate shelter.

“We are talking about a catastrophic humanitarian situation with critical shortages of essential winter supplies,” she added.

Basic items such as flour and food supplies are nearly depleted, she said, while there is a severe shortage of reinforced plastic sheeting and nylon used to create makeshift tents for displaced families.

Hamdan said UNRWA has distributed around 13,000 winter essentials in southern and central Gaza, but these supplies cover only a fraction of the immense needs.

The crisis extends beyond shelter, affecting health care as well.

Hamdan pointed to a significant shortage of medical supplies and essential medicines, compounded by overcrowding and inadequate living conditions.

She warned that nearly 1.8 million displaced people are at increased risk of disease outbreaks due to poor sanitation and insufficient health services.

Describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “extremely grim,” she highlighted the urgent need for international action to address residents' needs and alleviate their suffering.

She called for increased pressure on responsible parties to allow a greater flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, noting that current aid shipments -- limited to around 30 trucks daily -- are insufficient, given the overwhelming demand.

“This incoming aid is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the dire needs of Palestinians amid a suffocating humanitarian crisis,” she said.

The challenges for Gaza's displaced residents -- estimated at around two million -- are compounded by ongoing Israeli military operations and a devastating winter storm.

Local municipalities in Gaza have issued repeated warnings about the worsening humanitarian situation, but continued Israeli airstrikes, a relentless blockade and a lack of resources have left the crisis unaddressed.

Earlier in the day, Gaza's government media office said that approximately 10,000 tents housing displaced residents were destroyed or washed away by waves over the past two days due to severe weather conditions.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October last year, killing more than 44,230 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 104,600.

The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with figures and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.

On Thursday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its brutal war on Gaza.