Afət Ziyadqızı
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has said the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip has reached a dangerous level. In an official statement, the organization said that Israeli military pressure and restrictions continue nearly a year after the “ceasefire” agreement.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing the NRC, that 1.65 million people in Gaza — about 300,000 families — will face a serious shelter crisis in the coming winter season.
Two-thirds of the territory’s population are forced to endure cold and rainy weather in tents and temporary shelters that have fallen into disrepair.
The statement says Israeli authorities are blocking the entry into Gaza of timber, cement and metal sheets needed to build durable shelters. It also says 500 trucks carrying humanitarian aid are waiting at the border, while Israel allows only 15 trucks to cross per day. At this pace, it could take up to seven months for the aid shipments being held up to reach the territory.
NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland said it was impossible for civilians to survive the winter in these conditions and that Tel Aviv must meet its obligations under international law. The organization’s Gaza coordinator, Nesma Al-Sallaq, said each rainfall brings a new tragedy for civilians, especially children.
The NRC is an independent humanitarian organization that provides assistance and protection to people forced to flee their homes. Winter conditions can heighten the risks faced by displaced people living in temporary shelters, particularly when access to shelter materials and humanitarian aid is restricted.
