The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned this Friday that nearly two million residents of the Gaza Strip will need "urgent shelter" with the arrival of winter, after more than three years of Israel's offensive on the Palestinian enclave, a military campaign that has so far left more than 74,000 dead.
This figure represents practically the entire population of Gaza, which requires humanitarian aid due to the lack of safe housing and reception spaces. The Director General of the IOM, Amy Pope, emphasized that "after years of displacement and destruction, Palestinians are facing the fourth winter without adequate protection against rain, wind, and flooding."
In her statement, Pope denounced that "insufficient funds and ongoing blockades by Israeli authorities at the entry of supplies of vital importance are preventing humanitarian organizations from responding at the necessary level."
The head of the organization stressed that "families that have been repeatedly affected by displacement and devastating loss must be able to face winter safely and with dignity. Materials for the construction of shelters must enter the area quickly."
According to IOM estimates, more than half of the tents and improvised shelters currently in operation are deteriorated and need to be replaced. These facilities were designed as short-term emergency solutions and generally only last between six and twelve months.
Damaged housing and extreme risk of collapses
In the absence of housing alternatives, numerous families have been forced to remain in buildings severely damaged by the war, which pose an obvious danger to life. Last month, dozens of people died in the city of Gaza after the collapse of a building affected by the conflict. In August, an IOM partner identified more than 3,600 structures as unstable and at risk of collapsing.
The organization has also warned that the El Niño phenomenon, which is intensifying, could cause more intense rains capable of further weakening these unsafe buildings, while the severely damaged drainage systems leave communities exposed to severe flooding.
The IOM and its partners specialized in settlement management have counted nearly 1.8 million people living in displacement sites, most in areas with high flood risk. The waters could sweep away the precarious shelters, destroy the few belongings that families have, and force new displacements.
Blocked aid and urgent appeal
At this moment, around 8,600 emergency shelter kits from the IOM are prepositioned outside the Strip and ready for distribution, but Israeli authorities continue to veto their entry through border crossings. Meanwhile, humanitarian teams are resorting to recovered materials and locally available resources whenever they can. These initiatives only allow for limited provisional support and do not meet the enormous housing needs.
Pope has insisted that "the solutions are known, the supplies are ready, and the humanitarian teams are prepared to deliver." He emphasized that "it is essential to have immediate and sustained humanitarian access to protect lives, reinforce damaged shelters, and help families move beyond temporary solutions. All parties must facilitate principled humanitarian action and support a response commensurate with the severity of the crisis."
Therefore, the IOM has launched an appeal for the immediate and continued entry of tents, emergency shelter kits, relief housing units, wood, tools, and other essential materials to reinforce existing shelters, repair damaged homes, and support families seeking safer accommodation.