Hamas Political Bureau Chief Khalil Al-Hayya has urged Arab and Muslim countries to take immediate action to address the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that approximately 950,000 displaced Palestinians are living in flood-prone areas, including 400,000 in locations at particularly high risk, ahead of the winter season.
In messages addressed to Arab and Muslim states, al-Hayya outlined the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza, stressing that the situation has gone beyond an emergency relief crisis or the natural consequences of war. He described a complex reality driven by policies of starvation, the systematic destruction of the basic necessities of life, and deliberate restrictions on the entry of humanitarian assistance and materials needed for recovery.
Al-Hayya stressed the need for concerted efforts to compel Israel to fully implement the ceasefire agreement. This includes a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the immediate implementation of the humanitarian protocol signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to enter the territory and begin its work, and ensuring that UN agencies and humanitarian organizations can access all areas of the Strip without obstruction.
He also called for an urgent international campaign to address the consequences of winter by providing shelter, heating supplies, and fuel; repairing sewage and stormwater drainage networks; rehabilitating damaged facilities; and establishing safe and dignified shelters for displaced Palestinians.
He further urged the mobilization of international funding for humanitarian relief, early recovery, and reconstruction, as well as guarantees that construction materials, equipment, and machinery needed for these efforts would be allowed into Gaza.
The Hamas leader called on concerned countries to urgently mobilize support for a draft resolution requiring Israel to fulfill its humanitarian obligations. He also urged them to work toward convening an emergency, open session of the UN Security Council to assess the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Over the past two days, al-Hayya has also held talks with several leaders and officials from the mediating countries, seeking urgent action to secure humanitarian assistance and compel Israel to implement its obligations under the signed agreements.
WHO Warns 950,000 Displaced Palestinians Face Flood Risks
Meanwhile, the WHO has warned that health and humanitarian conditions in Gaza are deteriorating as winter approaches, with hundreds of thousands of displaced people facing heightened risks from flooding and disease.
Reinhold Vetter, the WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, said during a remote briefing at the UN Office in Geneva’s weekly press conference that approximately 950,000 displaced people were living in flood-prone areas, including 400,000 in particularly high-risk locations.
“Gaza’s health system is operating beyond capacity, amid acute shortages of fuel and medical supplies and continued attacks on healthcare facilities,” she said.
Vetter added that rainfall across the Strip in recent days offered an indication of the dangers expected over the coming months. She warned that the mixing of sewage and waste with contaminated water in displacement camps was increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
As heavy rains flood tents and shelters across #Gaza, UNRWA teams continue working on the ground to support displaced families. From clearing blocked drains and pumping out floodwater to providing cash assistance so families can purchase blankets and materials to repair damaged shelters, UNRWA is responding to urgent winter needs. Support us to continue this work. Donate now: link in bio.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) November 14, 2026
She also reported that cases of acute respiratory infections had risen by approximately 33,000 compared with the same period last year, accounting for 11 percent of all medical consultations. Around nine healthcare facilities had sustained varying degrees of damage, while rainfall had hindered the access of both medical staff and patients to health facilities.
The WHO called for permission to bring tents, plastic sheeting, clean water supplies, and waste-management materials into Gaza, alongside laboratory equipment, medical devices, spare parts, generators, and fuel.
The organization stressed that rapidly identifying disease-causing pathogens requires equipment that is currently unavailable in the Strip.
Vetter warned that Gaza’s fourth winter would pose another major test for a health system already operating at its limits, underscoring the urgent need for action to address the growing risks.
Source: Al-Manar Website