Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Gaza Strip, said that the scale of shelter needs in Gaza is extremely immense.

Cherevko explained that OCHA in Gaza is working, in cooperation with its partners, to try to respond to these massive needs, while fully aware that current capabilities do not match the scale of suffering. She pointed out that deaths caused by severe cold in Gaza—especially among young children and infants—represent one of the most painful tragedies, which could have been avoided if the necessary means had been available to keep people warm and provide them with adequate shelter.

She added that humanitarian organizations find themselves unable to deliver the required support due to restrictions on the entry of essential materials. There is an urgent need for heavy machinery to remove rubble, as well as for construction materials and shelter supplies, yet many of these needs are still prohibited from entering up to this moment.