Gaza Aid Standoff: Flood Deaths Trigger Sharp Rebuke

The Board of Peace issued a rare public criticism of Israel on Tuesday, demanding immediate access for humanitarian supplies after heavy rains killed four people in the central Gaza Strip. The international oversight body stated that current measures are insufficient for the scale of the crisis, arguing that delays in approving goods worsened the impact of a foreseeable challenge.

Three children and a woman died on Sunday when a sand embankment collapsed onto their shelter. The United Nations reports that approximately 65% of Gaza's population, or 1.4 million people, currently reside in tents or makeshift shelters. More than 150,000 tents are staged outside the territory, ready for deployment, but restrictions on entry and funding shortfalls have hindered aid efforts.

UN humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov warned on Monday that stocks of essential winter items inside Gaza are exhausted. He urged Israeli authorities to lift entry restrictions immediately because time was running out. Residents described the conditions as unbearable. Mohammed Jneid told the AFP news agency that heavy rains and overflowing sewage left families with no bedding or food. Islam Al Mobayed, sheltering in a tent with seven children, stated that the current situation was not life.

Israel's military agency, Cogat, responded by noting it had already allowed in tens of thousands of tents and trucks carrying winter supplies. The agency said reconstruction work can only begin once Hamas has fully disarmed. Cogat added that it would not permit the entry of equipment that could serve military purposes. In recent months, Israel implemented a winter plan with international charities, bringing in over 91,000 tents and more than 8,200 trucks with blankets, tarpaulins, and clothing.

Michal Maayan, a spokeswoman for the Israeli foreign ministry, accused Hamas of hoarding aid and being responsible for delays. She stated that winter hardships were a direct consequence of Hamas’s actions and policies. Hamas rebutted by saying the Board’s comment presented a distorted account of the disaster's causes. The group denied responsibility for ceasefire delays, citing a previous statement by Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators that accused Israel of violations.

The dispute stems from the October 2025 agreement to end the two-year war. Hamas agreed to give up governance and weapons in exchange for a phased Israeli troop withdrawal. Israel has maintained that full disarmament is a prerequisite for withdrawal, leaving the next stages of the peace plan stalled. The conflict began after the October 7, 2023, attack that killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Since the ceasefire took effect, more than 1,600 people have been killed in Gaza, while Israel reports six soldiers have died in the territory.