As preparations for Gaza’s rainy season continue, the UN called on Israeli authorities to swiftly approve the entry of critically needed supplies into the region.
Speaking at the daily press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said most people in Gaza have been forced to live in shelters. Dujarric said communal heating points were established in 88 areas housing 10% of Gaza’s population during the first three weeks of September.
Dujarric said thousands of heating points would be needed as temperatures fall, adding that Gaza needs shelter kits, heaters, regular fuel deliveries and more tents.
Dujarric also said damaged shelters needed to be replaced and clogged drainage lines cleared. He called for the approval process for the entry of critical supplies to be expedited.
Insufficient funding means that tents, tarpaulins and insulation kits currently in the procurement process can support only 50,000 households. Existing winter clothing stocks for Palestinians in Gaza are sufficient for approximately 9,000 households.
Concerns over displacement in the West Bank
Dujarric said new displacement could also occur in the occupied West Bank. He recalled that Israeli authorities had designated the Masafer Yatta area in Hebron as a firing-training zone.
Dujarric said one in every five Palestinians in Masafer Yatta may have been displaced or affected by demolition activities over the past four weeks, adding that the UN continues to engage with its humanitarian partners.
Dujarric said they had received information from humanitarian organizations about Palestinians affected by the demolition of 35 homes and other structures in the West Bank on Thursday.
