Thousands of Refugee Shelters in Gaza Destroyed by Storm

Waterlogged area in Gaza refugee camp. (Source; WAFA)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) on Tuesday warned that thousands of shelters in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, need immediate assistance after recent storms severely damaged the refugee sites, exacerbating humanitarian operations already hampered by daily obstacles posed by Israel.

Speaking at a news conference, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said humanitarian work continued despite increasing challenges, citing data from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Haq said last week's storm affected at least 80 displacement sites across Gaza, damaging or destroying some 4,000 family shelters.

"Our partners estimate that more than 4,000 shelters are affected and need urgent solutions," Haq said, noting that the bad weather conditions had exacerbated the already dire situation for refugee families, as reported by Daily Sabah and Anadolu (21/1).

Furthermore, he explained, more than 660 families have received emergency assistance, including food supplies, tents and tarpaulins. However, he warned that needs continue to exceed available resources.

The damage comes as humanitarian access remains limited and new evacuation orders were issued by Israel in parts of Khan Younis, forcing further displacement.

Haq stressed the "urgent need for sustainable housing solutions, including repairing damaged houses, clearing debris to provide more land, and restoring water and sanitation systems."

He added that the Israeli military "dropped leaflets in Bani Suheila and East Khan Younis, located east of the yellow line, ordering people to immediately evacuate," noting that OCHA estimated "more than 400 families are still in the area."

"OCHA reiterates that civilians must always be protected and allowed to safely evacuate. They must also be allowed to return when conditions permit, if they want to do so," he said.