Winter shelter supplies still 'limited' in Gaza, UN agency says

Despite being battered by heavy rainfall and early winter storms for several weeks now, "winterisation supplies" remain "limited" in Gaza, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said in its daily report on Wednesday.

The agency said that 44 designated emergency shelters - 21 in Khan Younis, 22 in Gaza City, and one in North Gaza governorate - were severely flooded due to blocked drainage channels just this week. 

"This caused temporary disruptions in the delivery of drinking water and food, and some families were forced to relocate to bathrooms, administrative rooms, and temporary learning spaces due to damaged tents and soaked belongings," Ocha said.

"In total, 4,721 displaced people were affected, and more than 691 tents were damaged or impacted by flooding" on Monday and Tuesday, the agency reported.

"Site management teams responded promptly by mobilising residents to clean blocked manholes, rainfall gullies, rainwater discharge pipes and pump water from flooded areas into the drainage system."

Officials from the Gaza Health Ministry as well as the senior leadership of Hamas have complained for weeks that Israel is not allowing the entry of winter shelters that can withstand heavy winds and better protect against frigid temperatures.