UN urges Israel to speed winter aid into Gaza as shortages persist

September 29, 2026 at 09:10 AM2 min

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The United Nations called on Israeli authorities to approve and expedite the entry of critical winter supplies into Gaza, where most residents live in shelters. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said shelter kits, heaters, fuel and thousands more tents are needed before temperatures drop. The appeal comes as funding shortfalls limit aid to about 50,000 households.

Key Facts

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Israel must approve and expedite the entry of critical materials into Gaza.
In the first three weeks of September, the UN established collective heating points in 88 areas sheltering 10 percent of Gaza's population.
Tents, tarpaulins and insulation kits being procured will support only about 50,000 households due to funding shortfalls.
Winter clothing stocks in Gaza are sufficient for only about 9,000 households.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli authorities declared the Masafer Yatta area a firing zone, and one in five Palestinians there may have been displaced or affected by demolitions in the past four weeks.

Gaza Winter Preparedness

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said preparations for the rainy season are continuing rapidly in Gaza, where most residents are forced to live in shelters. In the first three weeks of September, the UN established collective heating points in 88 areas that shelter 10 percent of Gaza's population. Dujarric said shelter kits, heaters, regular fuel deliveries and many more tents are still needed. He added that thousands of heating points will be required to meet people's needs when temperatures drop.

Aid Shortfalls

Dujarric said Israeli authorities must approve and expedite the entry of critical materials. He stressed that work to renovate worn-out shelters and clear blocked drainage lines in Gaza must be completed. Due to funding shortfalls, tents, tarpaulins and insulation kits being procured will support only about 50,000 households. Winter clothing stocks for Palestinians in Gaza are currently sufficient for only about 9,000 households.

West Bank Displacement

Dujarric recalled that Israeli authorities declared the Masafer Yatta area near Hebron a firing zone. He assessed that one in five Palestinians in the area may have been displaced or affected by demolition activities in the past four weeks. Dujarric said the UN is in contact with humanitarian partners in the region. He said those organizations provided information about Palestinians affected by the demolition of 35 homes and other structures in the West Bank on Thursday.