AMMAN, Jordan — Foreign ministers from eight Arab and Muslim countries called on Israel Friday to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid and allow durable shelter materials into Gaza as winter storms pummel the war-ravaged enclave. The ministers said flooded camps, damaged tents and collapsing buildings are exposing nearly 1.9 million displaced people to cold, disease and malnutrition, and urged what they called “permanent and dignified shelter,” Jan. 2, 2026.
Gaza winter shelters buckle as storms hit
Days of rain and wind have turned many tent sites into muddy basins and pushed families into unstable, war-damaged structures. Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported “dozens” of weather-related deaths and building collapses in recent weeks, while emergency workers have warned residents to avoid weakened buildings that can fail without notice, according to an Associated Press report from Gaza.
Displaced families say the immediate needs are basic: dry mattresses, winter clothing and sturdier protection from wind and rain. Aid officials and shelter coordinators have also pressed for faster entry of materials used to winterize camps, including tarpaulins, timber and tools for drainage and repairs.
Islamic bloc pushes Gaza aid access and durable shelter
In a joint statement carried by Jordan’s Petra news agency, the ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Indonesia and Pakistan urged the international community to pressure Israel “as the occupying power” to lift constraints on the entry and distribution of essentials — including tents, shelter materials, medical aid, clean water, fuel and sanitation support. The statement also called for the United Nations and international NGOs to operate “in a sustainable, predictable and unrestricted manner” and backed expanded early recovery steps to provide durable housing before deeper winter cold sets in.
The appeal comes as Israel moves to tighten oversight of international relief organizations. Israel says it will enforce a ban on 37 international NGOs for failing to meet new “security and transparency” requirements, including disclosures about Palestinian staff, according to an Euronews report citing Israeli government statements.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has urged Israel to reverse the NGO suspensions. “This announcement comes on top of earlier restrictions that have already delayed critical food, medical, hygiene and shelter supplies from entering Gaza,” U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said, according to a Reuters report. A coalition of major humanitarian groups has warned the new registration measures could disrupt health care, food distribution and shelter pipelines at scale, including winter items already staged for delivery, according to a joint statement published by Oxfam America.
Older warnings show a pattern
Winter has repeatedly magnified Gaza’s displacement crisis since the war began. Reuters reported in December 2023 that heavy rain and strong winds tore and flooded makeshift tents as families struggled to keep clothing and bedding dry. A year later, Reuters reported in November 2024 that winter storms damaged or washed away thousands of tents, prompting fresh appeals for shelter support. UNICEF, meanwhile, warned in late 2024 that children were “cold, sick and traumatized” amid dire living conditions and soaring health risks, in a statement from its regional director.
With much of Gaza’s housing stock destroyed or damaged, relief groups say the difference between surviving winter and succumbing to it may come down to whether more durable shelter, fuel and basic repair materials are allowed in quickly — and in sufficient quantities — to keep families out of flooded tents and collapsing buildings.
