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Gaza in need of shelter and supplies as winter storms hit

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being exacerbated as displaced Palestinians face a shortage of shelter.

“The health system is ruined. Malnutrition is rising. The risk of famine persists,” said Hanan Balkhy, regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the World Health Organization.

“We are ready to scale up our response, but we urgently need systematic and sustained access to the population across Gaza, and we need an end to restrictions on the entry of essential supplies.”

A recent update from the UN aid coordination office said nearly one million displaced Palestinians are living in “substandard tents or makeshift shelters, with families resorting to sewing old rice sacks together for basic cover”.

Hosni Mahna, a spokesperson for the Gaza municipality, said: “The cold weather has a catastrophic impact on hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in tents and temporary shelters, especially with the lack of heating and basic supplies to protect against rain and strong winds.”

Families, including young children and the elderly, sleep on cold dirt or cement floors without insulation, increasing their risk of infection and illness. Strong winds have ripped apart makeshift tents, while heavy rains have flooded entire shelter camps, leaving many in uninhabitable conditions.

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