The spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Gaza Strip, Olga Cherevko, stated that “the scale of the shelter need in Gaza is enormous.”
In a press statement on Sunday, Cherevko explained that “approximately 1.9 million people require various forms of shelter or improved living conditions, a figure that reflects the widespread destruction and mass displacement caused by the war.”
She added that “OCHA in Gaza is working with its partners to try to respond to these immense needs, despite recognizing that current resources are insufficient to meet the scale of the suffering, and that the gap between need and response remains wide.”
Cherevko noted that “deaths resulting from the extreme cold in Gaza, especially among young children and infants, represent one of the most heartbreaking tragedies in the current humanitarian situation.”
She emphasized that “the loss of children due to the low temperatures is deeply regrettable and reflects the extent of the hardship endured by the residents of the Gaza Strip.”
She added, “These deaths occurred amidst harsh weather conditions and severe storms that frequently batter the Gaza Strip,” noting that “this winter has been exceptionally harsh.”
Cherevko stated that “the most tragic aspect of these deaths is that they could have been prevented if the necessary means had been available to provide people with warmth and adequate shelter.”
She said that “humanitarian organizations are finding themselves unable to provide the necessary support due to the restrictions on the entry of essential supplies. There is a dire need for heavy equipment to remove rubble, as well as building materials and shelter supplies, but many of these necessities remain prohibited from entering Gaza.”
She affirmed that “humanitarian organizations, especially UN agencies, will continue their work in Gaza as they always have,” emphasizing that they “will not abandon the population in need of support, despite the difficult circumstances and the severity of the restrictions.”
