OMM Newsroom
The Board of Peace warned on Monday that a humanitarian emergency was escalating in the Gaza Strip after severe seasonal flooding over the past two days inundated tens of thousands of tents and makeshift shelters. Displaced families have been left exposed to cold, unsafe and increasingly difficult living conditions, according to Anadolu Agency.
“The situation no longer represents simply a threat posed by the approaching winter, but an immediate humanitarian emergency,” the Board said in a statement.
It said the urgent entry and distribution of essential shelter, sanitation, drainage and other winter supplies was critical to protecting civilian lives.
The Board said it had repeatedly warned about the risk of flooding and worsening shelter conditions, and urged all parties to fulfill their commitments under US President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Peace Plan.
It said it had specifically urged the Israeli government to authorize the entry of materials for temporary shelter, water and sanitation infrastructure, waste management, drainage and sewage removal, and to meet its commitments under the Sharm El-Sheikh Humanitarian Protocol.
While acknowledging steps being considered by the Israeli government, including through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Board said the response remained “insufficient.”
“We call on the leadership of the current Government of Israel to act immediately to authorize and facilitate the entry of all necessary winterization and humanitarian supplies, and to fully implement its commitments under the President’s Comprehensive Peace Plan,” the statement said.
The Board said delays in approvals and in implementing commitments made at Sharm El-Sheikh had worsened the effects of a foreseeable humanitarian challenge. It added that the delays had significantly postponed the start of decommissioning weapons and transferring authority from Hamas to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
The Board also called on Hamas to meet its commitments under the peace plan, including laying down its weapons and transferring governing authority to the NCAG.
It urged the UN, its agencies and international donors to coordinate urgently with the Board to mobilize resources, supplies and operational support to address Gaza’s immediate winterization needs.
Warning that further delays in implementing the peace plan commitments would have serious consequences for Gaza’s civilian population and the prospects for lasting peace, the Board said commitments must lead to “immediate, measurable action.” It added that parties that failed to meet their respective obligations would bear direct responsibility for the consequences.
