Gaza Residents Need Shelter From Winter Storms, UN Agency Warns
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
The UN's International Organization for Migration warned that nearly all Gaza residents need shelter from impending winter storms and potential flooding due to El Niño. Around two million people require aid, but only 17 percent of winter shelter needs have been met, with Israeli restrictions hindering relief efforts. Approximately 8,600 emergency shelter kits remain blocked from entering Gaza.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Nearly all Gaza residents need shelter from winter storms and potential flooding, according to the IOM.
- The El Niño phenomenon is expected to bring heavy rains and exacerbate damage to buildings and drainage systems.
- About two million people in Gaza require aid, but only 17 percent of winter shelter needs are met.
- Israeli restrictions are hindering relief agencies' ability to expand their response, the IOM stated.
- Around 8,600 emergency shelter kits have been denied entry into Gaza by Israeli authorities.
Nearly all residents of the Gaza Strip require shelter assistance ahead of winter, as the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) warns of heavy rains and potential flooding due to the El Niño climate phenomenon. The agency stated on Friday that El Niño, potentially the strongest on record according to the UN's meteorological agency, could further damage already precarious buildings and cause floods, exacerbated by severely damaged drainage systems in the territory.
IOM Director General Amy Pope reported that approximately two million people in the war-torn Gaza Strip need aid, but relief organizations have only met about 17 percent of the winter shelter requirements. "Families who have already suffered repeated displacement and devastating losses must be able to face the winter with safety and dignity," Pope stated, noting that restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities hinder agencies from expanding their response.
The IOM also indicated that Israeli authorities have not permitted the entry of around 8,600 emergency shelter kits into Gaza. These kits, comprising wood, tarpaulins, and basic materials, have been classified as dual-use items.
