Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied responsibility for worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where torrential rain has flooded makeshift shelters and left thousands of displaced Palestinians facing another dangerous winter.
Speaking on Wednesday, Netanyahu rejected accusations that Israel was delaying essential winter supplies, instead blaming Hamas for obstructing recovery efforts.
However, a US-backed body overseeing Gaza’s recovery has criticised Israeli delays, while United Nations agencies say more than 150,000 tents and vital drainage equipment are awaiting permission to enter the territory.
Recent storms have damaged tens of thousands of shelters, leaving families exposed to cold, contaminated floodwater and disease. At least four people died after a sandstone embankment collapsed onto tents on Sunday.
UNICEF has also warned that damaged stormwater infrastructure poses further flooding risks.
With reconstruction stalled and winter conditions deteriorating, humanitarian agencies are urging faster access for emergency supplies before more lives are endangered.