94% of Gazans Need Shelter and Aid, UNRWA Reports
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Ninety-four percent of Gaza's population, approximately 1.98 million people, require shelter and non-food aid due to severe living conditions, according to a UNRWA report. Fifty-eight percent face critical shelter needs, with UNRWA warning of grave risks to health and safety. The situation is worsened by impending heavy rains and winds threatening displaced populations, and ongoing Israeli restrictions on aid entry.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- 94% of Gaza's 1.98 million residents need shelter and non-food aid, UNRWA reported.
- 58% of Gaza's population faces critical or catastrophic shelter needs.
- Palestinian Civil Defense warned of heavy rains and winds threatening displaced people.
- Over 2.15 million displaced people are living in Gaza, many in tents or shelters.
- Israeli restrictions on shelter supplies and rehabilitation equipment continue.
- UNRWA warned of grave risks to health, safety, and dignity for residents.
Ninety-four percent of residents in the Gaza Strip require shelter and non-food aid due to deteriorating living conditions and difficulty accessing basic services, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). A report released by the agency on Thursday stated that an estimated 1.98 million people, representing 94% of Gaza's population, need shelter and non-food assistance based on surveys conducted between June 14 and 28. The assessment also revealed that 58% of the strip's inhabitants face critical or catastrophic shelter needs, indicating severe deficiencies in shelter conditions or a complete lack of access to essential services and non-food aid. UNRWA warned that the continuation of these conditions poses grave risks to people's health, safety, and dignity.
This assessment comes amid a warning from the Palestinian Civil Defense on Thursday about a low-pressure system expected Friday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that threaten displaced individuals in tents and shelters, as well as families living in dilapidated homes. Official government media figures from August indicated that over 2.15 million displaced people are living in Gaza, with approximately 867,000 in makeshift tents and over a million in shelters. In October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that around 950,000 displaced individuals reside in areas with medium to high flood risks, with over 400,000 facing high risks. Additionally, about 44,000 people are housed in over 2,300 structurally unsafe buildings. OCHA also noted that 294,250 families require shelter assistance in preparation for the rainy season.
Displaced populations face risks of rainwater leaking into their tents or tents being uprooted by winds, while low-lying areas are threatened by flash floods. This is exacerbated by the destruction of water drainage networks and a shortage of equipment for emergency response. The crisis is further compounded by the extensive destruction caused by Israel's actions in Gaza since October 2023. Israeli restrictions on the entry of shelter supplies and infrastructure rehabilitation equipment persist, despite a ceasefire agreement announced on October 10, 2025.
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