LOC13:56
10:56 GMT
GENEVA, Dec 12 (KUNA) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned on Friday of the severe deterioration of humanitarian conditions after a severe "Storm Byron" trigged inside the Gaza Strip earlier this week.
The storm brought heavy rainfall that has already flooded multiple displacement sites and placed nearly 795.000 displaced Palestinians at heightened risk.
According to a statement released from Geneva, the IOM said that this severe storm system triggered flooding in Greece and Cyprus before reaching Gaza, warning that rainfall is expected to continue in the hours ahead further straining conditions for families already living in unsafe shelters.
IOM Director General Amy Pope said, "People in Gaza have lived through loss and fear for far too long", stressing "immediate and unhindered access is essential so tools and supplies can reach those who are doing everything they can to hold their lives together in these extremely difficult conditions."
According to the statement, since the 10 October ceasefire, the IOM has dispatched more than one million shelter items to partners in Gaza though these supplies cannot withstand flooding.
IOMآ’s Needs and Population Monitoring (NPM) programme working through site management partners on the ground identified more than 140,000 people affected by earlier rains that had already flooded 219 active displacement sites.
"Palestinians in Gaza are confined within less than 50 percent of the Strip. Yesterday we witnessed widespread flooding and with infrastructure already devastated the rainfall caused severe damage," said Emergency and Relief Team Leader for the Palestinian Housing Council Haitham Aqel, a local relief organization and partner to IOM.
He said that the organization is operating in over 120 displacement sites across (Gaza City) (Khan Younis) and (Deir Al Balah), but the needs are overwhelming, stressing the urgent need for heavy machinery to remove rubble, more shelter items and recovery efforts must begin so Gaza can start to rebuild. (end)
imk.mt