UN says Gaza shelter supplies cover just 17% of winter needs as nearly 2M require aid

'The current items that we have outside of Gaza, they have been determined to be potentially dual-use, or detained as a dangerous good,' IOM regional crisis coordinator tells Anadolu regarding stranded sheltering materials at border Nearly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza urgently need shelter assistance as winter approaches, while Israeli restrictions continue to prevent the entry of critical supplies, the UN migration agency said on Friday. The IOM said in a statement that nearly all of Gaza's population remains in need of shelter assistance one year after a ceasefire was announced, with available stocks and incoming supplies covering only 17% of identified winter needs. "Families who have already endured repeated displacement and devastating loss must be able to face the winter in safety and dignity," IOM Director General Amy Pope said in the statement. More than half of tents and makeshift shelters are in "poor condition," which requires replacement, while many Palestinians are living in war-damaged buildings at risk of collapse. An assessment by an IOM partner identified more than 3,600 buildings requiring demolition, removal or evacuation due to safety risks. Meanwhile, nearly 1.8 million people are living in displacement sites, 56% of which face medium to high flood risks, raising concerns about further displacement as heavy rainfall approaches. The agency said approximately 8,600 emergency shelter kits remain stranded outside Gaza after being turned away by Israeli authorities. The IOM urged immediate and sustained access for tents, emergency shelter kits, temporary housing units and construction materials to strengthen shelters, repair damaged homes and provide safer accommodation, stressing that equipment, fuel and spare parts are also essential for debris removal and early recovery. "The solutions are known, the supplies are ready and humanitarian teams are prepared to deliver," Pope said. Israel blocks Gaza shelter supplies with 'dual-use' claims Israeli authorities have blocked emergency shelter supplies from entering Gaza by classifying them as potentially "dual-use" or "dangerous goods," the IOM regional crisis coordinator told Friday in response to Anadolu's question. Speaking in a UN press briefing in Geneva, Karl Baker warned that continued restrictions could worsen overcrowding and increase the spread of communicable diseases during winter. "The current items that we have outside of Gaza, they have been determined to be potentially dual-use, or detained as a dangerous good," Baker said. He described the classification as "unfortunate," noting that the kits consist of basic materials such as wood and tarps needed to construct emergency shelters. Baker said IOM continues to work with authorities to secure access, but efforts are sometimes unsuccessful when supplies are classified as dual-use items. Asked about the consequences of continued restrictions and the risk of further displacement caused by winter flooding, Baker warned that existing shelter conditions would deteriorate. "Without these sort of shelter solutions entering Gaza, we will just see a deterioration in the quality of the shelter which they currently live in," he said. He warned that colder temperatures, rainfall and potential flooding could force displaced Palestinians into increasingly crowded areas. "The population density will increase, and then we will see once again rises in everything from communicable diseases to, of course, the lack of community cohesion," Baker said.