GENEVA — U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace called on Israel to immediately authorize all essential humanitarian supplies into Gaza after heavy rain flooded tens of thousands of tents. The Board, established to oversee Trump's Gaza peace plan, acknowledged steps taken by Israel but stated the current response "remains insufficient."
The Board urged the Israeli government to approve the entry of materials for temporary shelter and crucial water and sanitation infrastructure.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened with recent weather. On Sunday, a sand embankment collapsed onto tents in the central Strip, killing three children and a woman. United Nations data indicates that approximately 1.4 million people, or 65 percent of Gaza's population, are living in tents or makeshift shelters due to Israeli military operations.
Mohammed Jneid, a resident of Gaza City, told the AFP news agency that heavy rains struck from one side while sewage overflowed from the other. "We have nothing left, no bedding, no food, nothing," he said.
Islam Al Mobayed, sitting inside her tent with seven children, described the conditions as unbearable. "This is not life," she told AFP. "We are exhausted, we are tired of this entire life."
Israel's military agency responsible for coordinating aid into Gaza, Cogat, reported it had allowed entry for tens of thousands of tents and trucks carrying winter provisions. Cogat maintained that reconstruction efforts could only commence once Hamas fully disarms.
The Board of Peace stated that delays in approving the entry of supplies exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and hindered the process of decommissioning weapons and transferring Hamas's authority to a transitional government.
Ramiz Alakbarov, a UN humanitarian coordinator, stated on Monday that essential shelter and winter item stocks inside Gaza had been depleted. He called on Israeli authorities to "immediately lift all restrictions on entry of the supplies."
The UN's humanitarian agency OCHA reported that more than 150,000 tents were positioned outside Gaza, ready for entry. OCHA attributed constraints on aid efforts to Israeli restrictions on supplies and equipment, in addition to funding shortfalls.
Michal Maayan, Israel's foreign ministry spokeswoman, said on Monday that Israel had implemented a "winter plan" in recent months coordinated with the Board of Peace and various international charities. According to Cogat, the plan has facilitated the entry of more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying tarpaulins, blankets, winter clothing and other necessary equipment. Cogat stated it would not permit the entry of equipment that could be used for military purposes.
Maayan accused Hamas of hoarding aid and said the group is responsible for delays in making progress in the Strip.
