Board of Peace warns of humanitarian emergency in Gaza after floods

'Immediate humanitarian emergency'

The Board of Peace on Monday declared an immediate humanitarian emergency in the Gaza Strip after severe seasonal flooding inundated tens of thousands of tents and makeshift shelters, leaving displaced families exposed to unsafe conditions amid the onset of winter. "The situation no longer represents simply a threat posed by the approaching winter, but an immediate humanitarian emergency," the Board said in a statement, adding that "The urgent entry and distribution of essential shelter, sanitation, drainage, and other winterization supplies is critical to protecting civilian lives."

Calls for Israeli authorization

The organization said it had repeatedly warned about flooding risks and had urged all parties to fulfill commitments under President Donald Trump's Comprehensive Peace Plan. "We have specifically urged the Israeli government to authorize the entry of essential materials for temporary shelter,water and sanitation infrastructure, waste management, drainage, and sewage removal, and to abide by its commitments under the Sharm El-Sheikh Humanitarian Protocol," it stressed. While acknowledging steps being considered by Israeli authorities through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Board said the response remained "insufficient."

Peace plan commitments

"We call on the leadership of the current Government of Israel to act immediately to authorize and facilitate the entry of all necessary winterization and humanitarian supplies, and to fully implement its commitments under the President's Comprehensive Peace Plan," the statement read. "Delays in these approvals and the implementation of the commitments undertaken at Sharm El-Sheikh have exacerbated the consequences of a foreseeable humanitarian challenge and significantly delayed the start of the decommissioning of weapons and transfer of authority from Hamas to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG)," it added. The Board also called on Hamas to fulfill its commitments under the peace plan, including laying down its weapons and transferring governing authority to the NCAG.

International coordination urged

The Board urged the UN, its agencies, and international donors to coordinate urgently with the organization to mobilize the resources, supplies, and operational support needed to address Gaza's immediate winterization requirements. Warning that further delays in implementing commitments under the peace plan would carry serious consequences for Gaza's civilian population and the prospects for lasting peace, the Board stressed that commitments must translate into "immediate, measurable action." The Board warned that parties failing to meet their respective obligations would bear direct responsibility for the consequences.