UN warns Gaza families 'cold and soaked' as winter rains worsen dire conditions

The UN said Tuesday that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are facing rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions as winter rains trigger flooding, destroy belongings and deepen frustration among displaced families.

Spokesperson Farhan Haq cited UN relief chief Tom Fletcher's statement that said, "Palestinians across Gaza are cold and soaked following recent rains, adding that frustration is growing as floods rise and what little people have is destroyed."

"He reiterated that the UN and our partners are mobilizing to help, but much more is needed. Mr. Fletcher said that remaining restrictions must be lifted to urgently get more aid in," Haq said.

He cited the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stressing that the UN and its partners on the ground "remain committed to providing life-saving support, including shelter."

"Humanitarians continue to distribute tents, tarpaulins and other essential items to affected families and assess people's needs to guide the response," he added.

Haq announced that the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ramiz Alakbarov, has released "$18 million from the occupied Palestinian territory Humanitarian Fund to support critical operations across Gaza as winter approaches and heavy rains begin to compound dire living conditions."

On the catch-up vaccination campaign launched in early November, he said that over "7,000 children under the age of 3 were already vaccinated during the first five days of that effort."