Hamas Leader Calls for Urgent Action Amid Gaza Winter Crisis

In a statement released on Saturday, Hamas detailed al-Hayya's messages to these countries, highlighting the dire situation exacerbated by the ongoing blockade, policies of starvation, and lack of basic shelter and services.

Al-Hayya informed the nations about the "catastrophic humanitarian conditions" in Gaza, emphasizing that the situation goes beyond an emergency relief crisis or war consequences. He described it as a complex reality involving systematic starvation, destruction of life's essentials, and deliberate restrictions on aid and recovery materials.

He stressed the necessity of compelling "the occupation" to fully implement a ceasefire agreement, including a complete withdrawal from Gaza and the immediate execution of the humanitarian protocol signed in Sharm El Sheikh. Al-Hayya also called for enabling the National Committee for Gaza Management to enter the Strip and begin its duties, ensuring unimpeded access for UN and humanitarian organizations to all areas.

The Hamas leader also advocated for an emergency international campaign to counter winter's impact, providing shelter, heating, and fuel. He called for repairing sewage and rainwater drainage systems, rehabilitating damaged facilities, establishing safe and dignified shelters for the displaced, and mobilizing international funding for humanitarian response, early recovery, and reconstruction, including the import of necessary building materials and equipment.

Al-Hayya urged relevant countries to urgently rally support for a UN Security Council resolution obligating "the occupation" to fulfill its humanitarian commitments and to convene an emergency public session to assess the extent of the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. He had recently held calls with mediators and officials from intermediary countries to secure relief and ensure "the occupation" adheres to signed agreements.

Recent heavy rains and floods have worsened the plight of hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans, inundating their tents and shelters amidst a severe shortage of cold-weather protection. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Friday that over 200,000 Palestinians were affected by the heavy rains, with shelters housing over 40,000 families also damaged. The World Health Organization warned that approximately 950,000 displaced individuals are in flood-prone areas, with over 400,000 in highly dangerous zones.

These calls come amid escalating UN warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis and demands for the entry of tents, equipment, emergency supplies, and machinery for drainage and debris removal. The article states that Israel is evading its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, which includes halting military operations, opening crossings, and allowing agreed-upon quantities of aid and construction materials, leading to the deterioration of humanitarian conditions, especially with winter's onset and the flooding of makeshift shelters after over three years of war.