Board of Peace calls on ‘Israel’ to lift barriers to Gaza winter aid

• The board described the flooding as an “immediate humanitarian emergency” and said the response being considered by Israeli authorities remained insufficient.
• It called on Hamas to disarm, relinquish governing authority and facilitate the transfer of power to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
• OCHA reported that more than 26,000 households had reported damage to shelters or belongings, while humanitarian stocks of essential winter supplies inside Gaza were virtually exhausted.

The US-backed Board of Peace called on the 'Israeli' government to immediately allow winterization and humanitarian supplies into Gaza after severe flooding inundated tens of thousands of tents and makeshift shelters, leaving displaced Palestinians exposed to cold and unsafe conditions.

In a statement issued on Monday, Nov. 9, the board said the flooding over the previous two days had turned the approaching winter into an “immediate humanitarian emergency,” warning that urgent deliveries of shelter materials, sanitation equipment and drainage supplies were needed to protect civilians.

“The urgent entry and distribution of essential shelter, sanitation, drainage, and other winterization supplies is critical to protecting civilian lives,” the statement said.

The board acknowledged that the ‘Israeli’ government was considering measures through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), but described the response as insufficient. It urged the government to “act immediately to authorize and facilitate the entry of all necessary winterization and humanitarian supplies.”

The statement also pointed to delays in implementing the ceasefire arrangements and the commitments made under the Sharm El-Sheikh Humanitarian Protocol, arguing that the restrictions on essential supplies had worsened the impact of the flooding.

The board said it had repeatedly pressed the ‘Israeli’ government to permit the entry of materials needed for temporary shelters, water and sanitation infrastructure, waste management, drainage and sewage removal. It also called on Hamas to disarm, relinquish its governing authority and facilitate the transfer of power to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

“Delays in these approvals and the implementation of the commitments undertaken at Sharm El-Sheikh have exacerbated the consequences of a foreseeable humanitarian challenge,” the statement said, adding that they had also delayed the planned transfer of authority from Hamas to the NCAG.

The board further urged Hamas to cease military activities in civilian areas and near ‘Israeli’ positions, claiming such operations endangered civilians and undermined humanitarian progress. It reiterated that Hamas must fulfil its obligations under the peace plan, while invoking Oct. 7.

The statement comes as the latest rainfall has caused widespread damage across Gaza, where much of the population remains displaced and dependent on temporary shelters. According to a Nov. 8 report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 26,000 households had reported damage to their shelters or belongings by Nov. 8, with the overall impact expected to be higher.

The report estimated that around 65% of Gaza's population, approximately 1.4 million people, were living in tents or makeshift shelters. More than 6,000 family shelters had reportedly been destroyed, while another 17,400 had sustained damage.

OCHA also reported that humanitarian stocks of tents, tarpaulins, blankets and clothing inside Gaza were virtually exhausted, despite more than 150,000 tents purchased by humanitarian organizations and member states being ready for delivery from outside the territory. The agency said additional ‘Israeli’ approvals were urgently needed to bring in shelter supplies, fuel, pumping equipment and heavy machinery.

The flooding has also resulted in fatalities. Five displaced Palestinians, including three children and two women, were killed when a sandy embankment collapsed onto tents near Deir al-Balah, according to Gaza's Civil Defense, as heavy rainfall compounded the risks facing families living in makeshift shelters.

The Board of Peace operates under US President Donald Trump's Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025. The framework established the board as an international transitional body overseeing Gaza's reconstruction and governance, alongside the NCAG, a Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with managing civilian affairs and public services.

Statement by the Board of Peace on Recent Flooding and Urgent Winterization Needs in Gaza https://t.co/lWxKhPxGeH

— Board of Peace (@BoardOfPeace) November 9, 2026