UN Demands All Gaza Crossings Open After Floods
Tom Fletcher demanded the immediate opening of all Gaza Strip crossings to deliver winter aid following deadly flooding and severe humanitarian shortages.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher demanded the immediate opening of all crossings into the Gaza Strip to deliver critical aid. The request follows heavy rains that flooded vast areas of the territory and caused several deaths.
Fletcher called for an end to what he described as "collective punishment" and urged the immediate dispatch of winter supplies, including warm clothing, durable shelter, and equipment to clear debris and pump out water. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that more than 150,000 tents are currently waiting outside the border for entry.
Fletcher criticized the Cabinet of Israel for delays in aid approvals, which have been attributed to the country's election cycle and the subsequent formation of a government. He stated that these political processes are not an acceptable excuse for blocking aid under international humanitarian law.
