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SITUATION OVERVIEW
Two months since the horrific events of 7 October, amidst relentless air, land and sea atacks and the expansion of Israel’s ground operation into Khan Younis, the current situation in Gaza has deteriorated into chaos. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator has described the current conditions as “apocalyptic” and said that “the continuing offensive had robbed aid workers of any significant means of helping”. The UN Secretary General has invoked Article 99 of the UN charter to compel the UNSC to call for a permanent ceasefire, as public order begins to break down. In these circumstances, Shelter Cluster partners in Gaza are not operational as they themselves are subjected to constant bombardments, evacuation orders and the gruelling search for the essentials necessary for survival. The seven-day pause at the end of November provided some respite from additional destruction and loss, but did litle to address the overwhelming needs and gaps for basic non-food items (NFIs) and shelter materials in Gaza. Only a handful of cluster partners received items through the Rafah crossing. Distributions have become increasingly fraught as desperation for needed items increases amidst a woefully insufficient supply.
Since the resumption of hostilities, civilian homes have been targeted with greater intensity. Heavy bombardments combined with evacuation orders covering 22 per cent of Khan Younis, the second largest city in Gaza and where a large proportion of people from the north were displaced to, has resulted in mass displacement into Rafah – which was already the most congested governorate. In the current circumstances, the shelter situation in Gaza at this time is more appropriately described as a 'lack of shelter' situation.
Over 1.8m people are currently displaced, and based on current data on destruction, more than 500,000 people will not be able to return to their former homes. Without re-establishing freedom of movement, safe and sustained access to people wherever they are, and sufficient resources, humanitarian organisations face barriers that prevent provision of meaningful shelter assistance. Restrictions on the amount and type of aid able to enter through the Rafah crossing – while Kerem Shalom remains closed – and complicated bureaucratic procedures to accomplish this continue to hinder the entry of aid and have contributed to the significant shelter gaps and increasing risk of exposure for thousands of displaced persons.