A Palestinian boy carries a container on his head in al-Mughraqa in the central Gaza Strip, on February 13, 2025. Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP
New York: The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has called for further humanitarian aid to meet immense needs in the Gaza Strip.
In a post on its X platform Friday, the UN agency emphasized the continued suffering of displaced families in Gaza as they return to their devastated homes, despite ongoing efforts to deliver essential humanitarian assistance to the region.
It highlighted that harsh winter conditions, heavy rainfall, and overcrowding in shelters leave many vulnerable and without adequate protection, reiterating the need to expand humanitarian aid to address the overwhelming needs in the enclave.
Previously, the agency noted that since the ceasefire began on the January 19, it has distributed food aid to more than 1.5 million people in Gaza.
It further stated that it operates 120 shelters across the enclave, hosting approximately 120,000 displaced individuals. Since the ceasefire, it has opened 37 emergency shelters, including seven in Gaza City and 30 in northern Gaza.
UNRWA earlier warned that heavy rains and strong winds in Gaza put hundreds of thousands of Palestinians at risk of extreme cold after their homes were destroyed by Israeli forces during the genocide that lasted more than 15 months. The agency added that many Palestinian families continue to live in temporary shelters due to the widespread destruction.
Meanwhile, UNRWA revealed that Israeli occupation forces had used one of its health centers in Al-Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, as a field interrogation and detention center for Palestinians. In a statement, the agency condemned the act as a blatant violation of the sanctity of UN facilities.
