The Palestinian NGO Network called on Tuesday for international human rights and humanitarian organizations and the international community to declare the Gaza Strip a “humanitarian disaster area” and to take urgent steps to ensure the protection of civilians and lift the blockade imposed on the Strip.
The Network issued an urgent humanitarian appeal to rescue thousands of displaced people whose tents and shelters were swept away by torrential rains and flash floods, as the storm that has been battering the Palestinian territories since dawn intensified, causing widespread damage across all aspects of life, particularly in temporary shelters.
The network called for the urgent delivery of tents and supplies needed to rehabilitate shelters, along with the immediate provision of relief and food aid. It stressed the necessity of enabling civil defense teams, the health sector, and international and local organizations to operate without hindrance, and of ending Israeli restrictions on the entry of essential supplies.
The network emphasized that recent international reports indicate that more than 90% of the Gaza Strip’s population suffers from malnutrition as a result of severe food shortages, the scarcity of potable water, and the collapse of basic infrastructure amidst ongoing bombardment and daily military operations.
