UN says 150,000 tents await Israeli approval to enter Gaza
More than 150,000 tents purchased by humanitarian organisations and UN member states are waiting outside the Gaza Strip for Israeli permission to enter, the United Nations said Wednesday, warning that delays are leaving thousands of displaced Palestinians without adequate shelter.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the figure includes 117,000 tents stored by the Egyptian Relief Committee in El Arish, Egypt.
He stressed that the main obstacle was obtaining the necessary authorisations from Israeli authorities, rather than securing the supplies themselves.
“Ultimately, we need the Israeli authorities to cooperate with giving the permissions so that we can bring those tents in,” Haq told reporters.
He added that the tents could be transported into Gaza once access to border crossings and the necessary procedures were secured.
“They’re just on the other side, and we’re ready to bring them in as soon as we get the permissions,” he said.
UN rejects delays linked to Israeli government formation
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called for an immediate acceleration of humanitarian deliveries, rejecting suggestions that progress should wait until Israel completes the formation of a new government.
Fletcher said foreign ministers and international partners had repeatedly indicated that progress would be difficult before Israeli elections, with further delays now being attributed to the government formation process.
“This is not an acceptable excuse,” he said, referring to international humanitarian law and the responsibility to facilitate essential humanitarian assistance.
The UN has identified a range of urgent supplies needed in Gaza, including durable shelter, warm clothing, blankets, bedding and safe heating equipment.
Additional requirements include generators, fuel, engine oil, spare parts and machinery to pump out floodwater, remove debris and clear unexploded ordnance.
Fletcher called for all border crossings to be opened, humanitarian organisations to be allowed to operate and commercial markets to resume functioning.
He also urged international partners to provide funding for the UN's humanitarian plan, warning that continued restrictions were prolonging preventable suffering.
Flooding worsens sanitation emergency
Meanwhile, heavy weekend rainfall has further aggravated Gaza's already critical sanitation situation, the UN warned, citing information from UNICEF.
Haq said no wastewater treatment plant in the territory was currently operational, raising concerns about the spread of sewage and disease.
In Gaza City, rainwater mixed with wastewater is threatening to overflow from the Sheikh Radwan stormwater basin.
Only two of the facility's six pumps remain operational, leaving the area increasingly vulnerable to flooding.
UNICEF has reportedly been seeking Israeli approval for more than a year to bring in equipment needed to repair the facility.
Haq stressed that additional humanitarian funding and Israeli authorisations were urgently required to allow the delivery of machinery and essential supplies.
Gaza's humanitarian crisis continues
The latest UN warning comes amid continuing humanitarian challenges following more than two years of war in Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israeli military operations have killed more than 74,600 Palestinians and wounded nearly 176,000, according to the figures cited in the report, with women and children accounting for most of the casualties.
Approximately 90% of the territory's infrastructure has been destroyed, leaving large numbers of people displaced and dependent on humanitarian assistance.
With winter conditions, flooding and the collapse of essential sanitation services adding to the emergency, the UN is calling for immediate access to shelter, infrastructure repair equipment and other critical supplies.
The organisation has warned that the necessary humanitarian materials are available outside Gaza, but their delivery depends on securing access and the required permissions.
Source:AA
