Severe winter storms are worsening conditions for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, as aid agencies warn that Israeli restrictions continue to block lifesaving shelter supplies across the territory.
The United Nations confirmed tents, blankets, and essential supplies are ready to enter Gaza, but border restrictions are preventing delivery. In Gaza City’s Shati refugee camp, a war-damaged home collapsed, trapping residents under debris.
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Rescue teams pulled six people, including two children, alive from the rubble. Earlier, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported a two-week-old infant froze to death, highlighting the vulnerability of infants and the elderly in inadequate shelters.
UN officials said roughly 30,000 children have been affected by the storm damage, with urgent repairs needed to resume humanitarian activities. The Palestinian Civil Defence described the situation as a “true humanitarian catastrophe” across the enclave.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed held talks in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stressing that aid must enter Gaza unconditionally and discussing plans for an impartial international stabilisation force.
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Violence continued despite ceasefire efforts, with at least 11 Palestinians wounded in Israeli attacks in central Gaza. Israeli forces also fired near Khan Younis and Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood, while attacks in the West Bank injured additional civilians.
Since October 2023, over 70,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 171,000 wounded, while Israel reported over 1,100 deaths and hundreds captured in the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, according to official sources.