Ramallah:Around 2.1 million people in the Gaza Strip are in dire need of protection and humanitarian assistance as winter approaches, amid ongoing displacement and deteriorating living conditions. This situation is exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on relief supplies, as stated by a Palestinian minister.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Social Development Minister Samah Hamad highlighted these concerns during a news conference at the Government Communication Centre in Ramallah, located in the central occupied West Bank. Hamad noted that approximately 30 percent of relief and shelter supplies are stuck at border crossings due to Israeli measures, preventing their delivery to Gaza.

Minister Hamad emphasized that resolving the humanitarian crisis requires not only financial aid but also the facilitation of relief supplies, including shelter materials, winter essentials, and repair equipment. She pointed out that over 1.76 million people, or 84 percent of Gaza’s population, are residing in overcrowded displacement sites. Additionally, more than 65 percent of families are living in tents and temporary shelters, with over 370,000 housing units damaged or destroyed.

Hamad further reported that more than 300,000 families lack sufficient protection against cold weather and rainfall. To address these shelter needs, Gaza urgently requires 200,000 tents and 200,000 tarpaulins. She also mentioned that there have been 19 deaths related to hypothermia over the past two years.

The minister warned of increasing risks of flooding and rainwater accumulation at over 1,600 displacement sites, noting that 80 percent of Gaza’s water infrastructure is in need of repair. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the Israeli army killing more than 74,000 people and injuring over 175,000 since October 2023, leaving the entire territory in ruins.