UN Urges Immediate Lifting of Restrictions and Emergency Aid for Gaza

The United Nations has warned that residents of the Gaza Strip are facing an escalating humanitarian crisis, suffering from cold, flooding, and growing destruction. In a message posted on social media platform X, Tom Fletcher, the UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that recent heavy rains have destroyed the few possessions families had left, worsening their plight.

The UN stated that it is working with humanitarian partners to deliver aid packages to those affected. However, it emphasized that current levels of need far exceed existing capacity. Fletcher called for the immediate lifting of restrictions imposed by Israel on the movement of people and the delivery of aid into Gaza.

Meanwhile, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, announced that staff from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continue to distribute tents, plastic sheeting, and other essential supplies to families impacted by the rain.

According to Haq, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process has allocated $18 million from the humanitarian fund to the occupied Palestinian territories. The funds are intended to support core programs including food, clean water, healthcare, and shelter for the people of Gaza.

Heavy seasonal rains have placed additional strain on the lives of millions of Palestinians already living under complete blockade and strict Israeli restrictions, severely limiting their access to essential resources. The UN has warned that the continuation of these conditions could lead to a broader humanitarian catastrophe.