Three weeks into ceasefire, Gaza shelter aid still blocked as winter nears

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian families in Gaza face winter rains and cold without adequate protection, as Israeli restrictions continue to block the entry of lifesaving shelter materials, warns the Shelter Cluster, which coordinates the humanitarian shelter response and identifies priority needs for displaced families.

Millions of shelter and non-food items are stuck in Jordan, Egypt, and Israel awaiting approvals, leaving around 260,000 Palestinian families, equal to nearly 1.5 million people, exposed to worsening conditions. Since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October, Israeli authorities have rejected 23 requests from nine aid agencies to bring in urgently needed shelter supplies such as tents, sealing and framing kits, bedding, kitchen sets, and blankets, amounting to nearly 4,000 pallets. Humanitarian organisations warn that the window to scale up winterisation assistance is closing rapidly.