❗️Gaza’s winter shelter needs largely unmet as El Niño threatens heavier rainfall

Nearly all of Gaza’s population requires tents or other shelter assistance ahead of winter, as the El Niño weather phenomenon is expected to bring heavier rainfall while Israeli restrictions continue to limit the entry of supplies, the UN migration agency said on Friday.

The World Meteorological Organization has warned that El Niño could become the strongest on record. The phenomenon could further weaken already unsafe buildings and trigger flooding across Gaza, where drainage systems have been severely damaged, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

Nearly 2 million people in the strip require assistance. However, humanitarian organizations have met only around 17% of Gaza’s winter shelter needs, IOM Director General Amy Pope said.

"Families who have already endured repeated displacement and devastating loss must be able to face the winter in safety and dignity," Pope said, adding that restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities are hindering aid agencies’ efforts to expand their response.

The IOM said Israeli authorities have blocked the entry of approximately 8,600 emergency shelter kits containing wood, tarpaulins and basic materials, classifying them as dual-use items.

Although the IOM has managed to bring in some tarpaulins and tents, the agency said these supplies fall far short of Gaza’s current needs.

More than half of all tents and makeshift shelters across the enclave need to be replaced because of their deteriorating condition, the IOM said, warning that alternatives are limited as war-damaged buildings pose serious safety risks.

The agency added that more than 3,600 structures were identified in August as dangerous and at risk of collapse. Meanwhile, around 1.8 million people are living in displacement sites, most of them located in areas vulnerable to flooding.