A senior United Nations official has described the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip as a “man-made disaster”, blaming the destruction of Palestinian homes, neighbourhoods and essential infrastructure by Israeli forces for leaving thousands of displaced families exposed to dangerous winter conditions.
The warning came on Monday as approximately 26,000 Palestinian families were reported to have been affected by severe weather, with six deaths reported, including an infant, amid widespread flooding and the destruction of makeshift shelters.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, warned that the devastation caused by Israeli military operations has left Gaza’s displaced population dangerously vulnerable to seasonal storms and flooding.
Speaking at a press conference in Ramallah, Alakbarov said the United Nations had received reports of five people dying after a sand dune collapsed onto their tents, while an infant reportedly drowned at a displacement site.
He did not specify when the deaths occurred.
26,000 Families Affected as Floods Destroy Shelters and Personal Belongings
Alakbarov said approximately 26,000 families had been affected by the severe weather, describing the figure as exceptionally high.
Thousands of displaced Palestinians have lost their belongings, temporary accommodation and essential shelter materials, forcing many families to relocate yet again.
For those already enduring repeated displacement, the flooding has created another humanitarian emergency, leaving families without adequate protection from the cold, rain and contaminated water.
Alakbarov warned that many Palestinians would be forced to spend further nights without a dry place to sleep, blankets or warm clothing, after floodwaters destroyed the few possessions they had managed to retain.
The situation is particularly severe for families living in tents and other temporary shelters, many of which offer little protection against winter storms.
The UN official emphasised that while the immediate flooding was caused by adverse weather, the population’s extreme vulnerability was the consequence of human actions.
He described the situation as a “man-made disaster”.
Israeli Destruction Has Left Gaza Without Functioning Drainage and Water Systems
Alakbarov directly linked the humanitarian emergency to the extensive destruction caused by Israeli military operations across the Gaza Strip.
He said Israeli hostilities had destroyed Palestinian homes, entire neighbourhoods and essential infrastructure, leaving displaced communities without the systems necessary to withstand heavy rainfall.
Drainage networks and water systems are no longer functioning properly, allowing floodwaters to accumulate across displacement sites.
Compounding the danger, floodwater has mixed with sewage and is now flowing into tents where Palestinian families are attempting to shelter and survive.
The contamination has further aggravated conditions in already overcrowded displacement areas, where families lack adequate housing, sanitation and protection from the elements.
Alakbarov stressed that Gaza’s winter emergency cannot be attributed to climate change or seasonal weather conditions alone.
The destruction of infrastructure, combined with the inability to obtain sufficient humanitarian supplies, has transformed severe weather into a potentially deadly crisis for thousands of Palestinians.
UN Warns Time Is Running Out to Deliver Winter Supplies
The UN official warned that Gaza’s population faces an exceptionally difficult winter, not only because of changing weather conditions but also because humanitarian materials and essential supplies are not entering the territory in sufficient quantities.
Alakbarov said he had been warning for some time that the population would face severe hardship during the winter months.
He called on Israeli authorities to immediately remove all restrictions preventing humanitarian supplies from entering the Gaza Strip.
“Time has run out, and there is no longer any room to wait,” he warned.
According to Alakbarov, failure to deliver the necessary supplies during the current week would mean losing the remaining opportunity to prepare adequately for winter.
The most urgent requirements include water suction trucks, mobile drainage pumps, heavy machinery, engine oil and spare parts needed to restore basic functionality to damaged infrastructure.
Humanitarian agencies also require tents, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, blankets and winter clothing to provide displaced families with essential protection from rain and cold.
Without these materials, thousands of Palestinians will remain exposed to flooding, contaminated water and harsh weather conditions.
UN Calls for Israeli Withdrawal Beyond the ‘Yellow Line’
Alakbarov also called for a halt to the advancement of the so-called “Yellow Line” and for it to be moved back, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to higher ground within the Gaza Strip.
He demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from those areas.
The Yellow Line represents the initial Israeli withdrawal boundary and separates areas where Israeli forces remain deployed in the east from areas in the west where Palestinians are permitted to move.
Under maps associated with the agreement, Israel has maintained a military presence across approximately 53 per cent of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has accused Israel of shifting the Yellow Line, arguing that such movements expand Israeli-controlled territory and impose further displacement on the Palestinian population.
The UN official’s demand to reverse the line’s advancement reflects the difficulties faced by displaced families who remain concentrated in vulnerable areas, including locations susceptible to flooding.
Allowing Palestinians to return to higher ground was presented as part of the measures needed to reduce their exposure to worsening winter conditions.
Humanitarian Funding Critically Low as Essential Stocks Run Out
Alakbarov concluded by appealing to UN member states to urgently increase humanitarian funding for Gaza.
He warned that available financial resources are dangerously low, while essential humanitarian stocks have already been depleted.
The shortage of funding and supplies comes as thousands of displaced families continue to require immediate assistance, including shelter materials, winter clothing and equipment needed to address flooding.
The UN official stressed that the humanitarian response must be accelerated before the remaining opportunity to prepare for winter is lost.
His warnings place responsibility not simply on seasonal weather conditions, but on the destruction of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, continuing restrictions on humanitarian access and the failure to provide sufficient resources to protect a population already devastated by prolonged Israeli military operations.
