Image source: Faiz Qreqa / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images
The peace council headed by US President Donald Trump called on Israel to immediately allow all necessary humanitarian supplies into Gaza, after rains flooded tens of thousands of tents.
The US-backed body, which was established to oversee the implementation of Trump's peace plan in Gaza, acknowledged steps that Israel is currently considering, but said that "the response remains insufficient."
Five killed in a sand collapse on a tent for displaced people in Gaza, and rain floods the displacement camps
The Israeli military agency responsible for coordinating the entry of aid into Gaza said that it had allowed the entry of tens of thousands of tents and trucks loaded with winter supplies, but added that reconstruction “cannot begin until Hamas is completely disarmed.”
Three children and a woman were killed on Sunday, when a sand berm collapsed over tents in the central Gaza Strip.
content end
Most of Gaza's population was displaced due to Israeli military operations. The United Nations says that about 65 percent of the population, or approximately 1.4 million people, are now living in tents or temporary shelters.
Mohammed Junaid told Agence France-Presse while standing wet in Gaza City that heavy rain fell on them from one side, and sewage water overflowed on them from the other side, and the ground and tents were no longer able to withstand.
He added: "We no longer have anything, no sleeping blankets, no food, nothing."
Most read end
From inside her tent, Islam Al-Moubayed told Agence France-Presse that there were seven children inside the tent, five of whom were young.
She added: "This is not life. We are exhausted, tired of this whole life."
Image source: Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images
An in-depth explanation of the most prominent events and topics, to help you understand the most important variables around you and their impact on your life
Episodes
End podcast
In a rare criticism of Israel, the peace council said it was urging the Israeli government to allow the entry of basic goods needed for temporary shelter and water and sanitation infrastructure.
The Council added that the delay in approving the entry of supplies “exacerbated the consequences of a foreseeable humanitarian challenge” and delayed the start of the arms removal process and the transfer of Hamas authority to a transitional government.
The Council also noted that Hamas's failure to disarm and transfer power has made the conditions facing civilians in Gaza more difficult.
The United Nations Agency for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that more than 150,000 tents are ready to enter Gaza, but relief efforts are still restricted “due to Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies and equipment and a lack of funding.”
UN Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said on Monday that stocks of basic shelter materials and winter supplies inside Gaza have been exhausted.
“The Israeli authorities must immediately lift all restrictions on the entry of these supplies,” he added, adding: “We have run out of time.”
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Michal Mayan said on Monday that Israel has developed a plan for the winter in recent months in coordination with the Peace Council and a number of international charitable institutions.
According to COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for aid, this plan led to the introduction of more than 91,000 tents and more than 8,200 trucks loaded with tarpaulins, blankets, winter clothing and other equipment.
COGAT announced that it would not allow the entry of any equipment that could be used for military purposes.
Mayan accused Hamas of hoarding aid, saying: "Hamas is responsible for the delay in making further progress in the Strip, and the difficulties associated with the winter are a result of Hamas' actions and policies."
In response to the Peace Council's statement, Hamas said in a statement published by Palestinian media that the Council's statement "presents a distorted account of the causes of the disaster." The movement denied responsibility for delaying a ceasefire, pointing to a statement issued in August by Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators that accused Israel of committing violations.
Hamas said that Israeli restrictions prevent the entry of materials needed for shelter and recovery, adding that the Peace Council, as the body supervising the implementation of the ceasefire, must look into its “serious shortcomings.”
Under the agreement that ended the two-year war in October 2025, Hamas agreed to give up administration of the Strip and its weapons in exchange for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the 60 percent of Gaza it was still occupying. However, Israel insisted that Hamas completely disarm before any withdrawal.
This disagreement led to the disruption of the next stages of the peace plan, with both sides exchanging accusations of responsibility.
The war in Gaza began after an attack carried out by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, which led to the killing of about 1,200 people and the taking of 251 hostages.
The ensuing Israeli military campaign killed 74,645 people, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, whose figures the United Nations considers reliable. More than 1,600 people have been killed since the ceasefire in October last year.
Israel says six of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza since then.
Find out more
Short clips
End of short clips
