Unimpeded access needed for Gaza aid preparations ahead of rainy season: UN

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN on Monday warned that without full access to Gaza, aid organizations will be "unable to adequately prepare" for the upcoming rainy season.

UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that "without unimpeded access to Gaza, aid organizations are unable to adequately prepare for the rainy season, during which people's needs are expected to increase further."

OCHA warned that the heavy rains and potential flooding would worsen already dire living conditions in Gaza, which it said could lead to serious health risks and displace hundreds of thousands of people.

"Many of the 215 temporary learning spaces serving nearly 34,000 children in Gaza stand to be severely affected by flooding," it said.

OCHA also announced "a Winterization Plan" that aims to tackle the most urgent needs of more than 2.1 million Gazans during the rainy season.

"This plan – which is part of the broader Flash Appeal for the Occupied Palestinian Territory – targets more than 850,000 people across nearly 50 neighborhoods in flood-prone areas," it said.

Emphasizing that this plan cannot be implemented without the "unimpeded entry of necessary humanitarian items into Gaza," OCHA further noted the need for safe humanitarian movements between warehouses and distribution points.