The severity of the humanitarian situation in Gaza is complicating the efforts of the United Nations (UN) and its partners to provide assistance to the civilian population in the region. These difficulties have been further exacerbated by the impact of recent heavy rains and cold weather conditions.
Redaksiya reports that UN Deputy Secretary-General Farhan Haq, speaking at a daily press conference, emphasized that the UN and its partners are working to deliver aid to "vulnerable families" in Gaza. Haq stated that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has warned that the needs are exceeding the capacity of humanitarian workers to respond due to the persistent obstacles they face.
Haq noted that they are also working on temporary learning spaces for 5,000 children as part of efforts to improve children's access to education in Gaza. However, he stressed that efforts for children to return to normal education are still limited due to Israel's obstruction of educational materials. Haq reiterated UNOCHA's warning about the continued obstacles hindering the ability to scale up humanitarian intervention. He emphasized the importance of removing these obstacles and ensuring access, noting the necessity of creating conditions for the UN and its partners to reach everyone in need.
Haq drew attention to the fact that the recent heavy rains and cold weather conditions have further worsened the overall situation in the region. He stated that the risk of hypothermia in newborns has increased and that efforts are being made to combat cold-related frostbite through the distribution of special aid kits. Haq said that due to restrictions affecting their ability to deliver sufficient aid since Friday, their partners have been forced to reduce the scale of assistance provided through such packages. Reporting that they distributed 3,800 tents and 4,600 tarpaulins last week, Haq noted that in addition to shelter needs, they continue to deliver packages containing essential food and hygiene items.