In a rare and pointed criticism, the US-backed Board of Peace has urged Israel to immediately permit the entry of all essential humanitarian supplies into Gaza, where torrential winter rains have inundated tens of thousands of tents, leaving displaced families in desperate conditions.
Aid Response Deemed 'Insufficient'
The Board, established to oversee the implementation of President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, acknowledged that Israel is considering measures to ease the crisis but stated bluntly that "the response remains insufficient." The rebuke comes as Gaza's 1.4 million displaced persons, who constitute about 65% of the population, struggle to survive in flimsy shelters that offer little protection against the harsh weather.
Israel's military agency responsible for coordinating aid, Cogat, reported that it has allowed in tens of thousands of tents and trucks loaded with winter supplies. However, it insisted that reconstruction "can only begin after Hamas fully disarms."
The humanitarian situation deteriorated further on Sunday when a sand embankment collapsed onto tents in the central Strip, killing three children and a woman, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Voices from the Flooded Camps
Mohammed Jneid, standing drenched in Gaza City, described the relentless assault of the elements to AFP: "Heavy rains hit from one side and sewage overflowed on us from the other. The ground and tents can no longer hold. We have nothing left, no bedding, no food, nothing."
Inside her tent, Islam Al Mobayed spoke of the unbearable strain: "There are seven children here, five of them young. This is not life. We are exhausted, we are tired of this entire life."
Mounting Pressure and Mutual Accusations
The Board of Peace revealed that it has been pressing the Israeli government to authorize the entry of essential goods for temporary shelter, as well as water and sanitation infrastructure. It warned that delays in approving supplies "exacerbated the consequences of a foreseeable humanitarian challenge" and postponed the start of decommissioning weapons and transferring Hamas authority to a transitional government.
The Board also noted that Hamas's failure to disarm and transfer power has compounded the difficulties facing Gaza's civilians.
The UN's humanitarian agency, OCHA, reported that more than 150,000 tents are positioned outside Gaza, ready to be deployed, but aid efforts are being hampered "by Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies and equipment and funding shortfalls."
UN humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said on Monday that stocks of essential shelter and winter items inside Gaza have been exhausted. "Israeli authorities must immediately lift all restrictions on entry of the supplies," he urged, adding, "we have run out of time."
Israel Defends Its Actions
Israel's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Michal Maayan, countered on Monday that Israel has implemented a winter plan in recent months in coordination with the Board of Peace and international charities. According to Cogat, this plan has brought in over 91,000 tents and more than 8,200 trucks carrying tarpaulins, blankets, winter clothing, and other equipment.
Cogat stated that it will not permit the entry of equipment that could be repurposed for military use. Maayan accused Hamas of hoarding aid, saying, "Hamas is responsible for the delays in making more progress in the Strip, and winter-related hardships are a consequence of Hamas's action and policy."
Hamas Fires Back
In a statement published on Palestinian media, Hamas responded to the Board of Peace's criticism, saying it "presents a distorted account of the causes of the disaster." The group denied responsibility for ceasefire delays, citing an August statement from Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators that accused Israel of violations.
Hamas argued that Israeli restrictions prevent the entry of materials necessary for shelter and recovery, and added that the Board, as the ceasefire implementer, should examine its own "serious shortcoming."
Stalled Peace Plan
Under the deal to end the two-year-long war in October 2025, Hamas agreed to relinquish governance and its weapons in exchange for a phased Israeli troop withdrawal from the 60% of Gaza it still occupies. Israel, however, has insisted that Hamas must fully disarm before any withdrawal.
This dispute has left the next stages of the peace plan in limbo, with both sides trading blame.
The war in Gaza began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage. The Israeli military campaign in response has killed 74,645 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures the UN considers reliable. More than 1,600 people have been killed since the ceasefire in October last year. Israel says six of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza since then.
