US-Backed Board of Peace Criticizes Israel Over Gaza Flooding Aid Delays

The US-backed Board of Peace has criticized Israel's aid response in Gaza as insufficient following heavy winter rains that flooded makeshift tent camps across the enclave. The oversight body called on Israeli authorities to immediately permit essential shelter and water infrastructure supplies into the territory to prevent further deterioration of living conditions.

According to United Nations figures, approximately 65 percent of Gaza's population—about 1.4 million people—are currently living in tents or temporary shelters after being displaced during the conflict. UN humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov stated on Monday that inside stocks of emergency shelter items had been completely exhausted, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that over 150,000 tents remain held outside Gaza due to entry restrictions and funding shortfalls.

The torrential rainfall has worsened conditions in the camps, leading to fatalities and infrastructure failures. On Sunday, four people, including three children and a woman, were killed in the central Gaza Strip when a sand embankment collapsed onto temporary tents. Displaced residents in Gaza City reported that rising rainwater and overflowing sewage systems flooded their shelters, destroying food and bedding.

Israeli officials defended their humanitarian management while maintaining restrictions on dual-use items. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Michal Maayan said on Monday that Israel had implemented a winter relief strategy in coordination with the Board of Peace and international charities. Cogat, the Israeli military agency overseeing Gaza aid operations, stated it had facilitated the entry of more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying winter supplies, tarpaulins, and clothing, but added that reconstruction could only commence once Hamas fully disarms.

The Board of Peace stated that approval delays for basic goods compounded humanitarian risks and hampered steps toward decommissioning weapons and transferring authority to a transitional administration. In response, Hamas issued a statement via Palestinian media denying responsibility for delays, citing previous mediator statements accusing Israel of violations and arguing that Israeli entry curbs prevented effective disaster response. Under the October 2025 peace deal, Hamas agreed to yield governance and hand over weapons in exchange for a phased Israeli withdrawal from the 60 percent of Gaza it occupied.

The military campaign began after the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed in Israel and 251 taken hostage. Figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN regards as reliable, indicate that 74,645 people have been killed in Gaza during the conflict, including more than 1,600 since the October 2025 ceasefire. Israel stated that six of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect.

Written by Martina Kirchner martina.kirchner@alpineweekly.com