UN Warns Humanitarian Crises in Gaza and Ukraine Could Worsen as Winter Nears

GAZA/KYIV: The United Nations warned on Friday that nearly all of Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians will face winter without adequate shelter. The warning comes as strict Israeli restrictions on the besieged territory have now lasted three years. In Ukraine, repeated attacks on civilian areas and critical infrastructure are also deepening the humanitarian crisis.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said 1.8 million people face “a fourth winter without adequate protection from rain, flooding and cold,” with more than half of tents and temporary shelters in poor condition. It cited the collapse last month of a building in Gaza City damaged by Israeli strikes, which killed 21 people, including 12 children. IOM said current shelter supplies meet only 17 percent of identified needs, and about 8,600 emergency shelter kits are being held by Israeli authorities at crossing points. The World Health Organization separately warned that disease risks are rising as the rains begin.
On Ukraine, Gemma Connell, director of the Crisis Response Division at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), urged Russia and Ukraine to protect civilians, facilitate aid delivery and ensure the safe evacuation of people trapped on front lines and in occupied areas. She was delivering the briefing to the Security Council on behalf of UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher.
Connell said the past 48 hours brought more destruction and deaths across Ukraine, including attacks on residential neighbourhoods, public transport and essential infrastructure. Repeated strikes on energy facilities have forced scheduled and emergency power cuts in Kyiv and other regions. “Preparing for winter cannot wait for winter,” she warned.