“For Palestinians in Gaza, their lives continue to be defined by displacement, trauma, uncertainty and deprivation.”
This has been further aggravated by “severe and recurrent storms that not only destroy people’s few belongings, but are also deadly, whether through collapsed buildings or taking the lives of children who are very susceptible to the cold.”
Road repair, debris removal
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, humanitarian workers have brought more than 165,000 metric tons of assistance to Gaza. They also repaired roads, rehabilitated hospitals, cleared debris and reopened aid distribution points.
“We celebrate our achievements and demonstrate once again that when we can do it, we deliver,” Ms. Cherevko said, adding that “the results speak for themselves.”
During the first two months of the truce alone, more than 1.3 million people received food packages and more than 1.5 million hot meals were prepared and delivered to people in need throughout Gaza, thus improving food security.
Progress remains fragile
When torrential floods hit Gaza and put thousands of families at risk, aid workers worked with municipalities to find safer options. They also distributed tents, tarps, mattresses and warm clothing.
“But while this progress is clear, it remains fragile and could be reversed overnight,” he said. “Because airstrikes, shelling and armed clashes continue and civilian casualties are reported daily. Most of Gaza is in ruins and the needs far exceed our efforts to meet them.”
Ms. Cherevko said that “due to various impediments and restrictions placed on organizations operating in Gaza and specific types of supplies that could come in, we would basically only be able to apply Band-Aids to a wound that can only be closed with proper care.”
Harsh winter storms have also reversed progress made on the humanitarian front “because no amount of tents or tarps can replace repairing people’s homes.”
Furthermore, despite humanitarian workers reopening or establishing dozens of health service points, less than 40 percent of health centers in Gaza are operational, while critical educational supplies remain banned from entry to children who have not been in school for two years in a row.
It also noted delays at border crossings, limited humanitarian corridors, delays and other impediments, as well as restrictions on the operations of UN entities and international NGOs that “are putting lives at risk.”
A ceasefire “is not a recovery plan”
Ms. Cherevko stressed that “the emergency response and its transition to early recovery cannot wait for political solutions. And a ceasefire in itself is not a recovery plan.”
What aid workers working in Gaza need “remains very simple,” he said, calling on parties to the conflict to respect the ceasefire, ensure civilians are protected and that humanitarian access remains predictable, sustained and unhindered.
Additionally, restrictions on both aid agencies and critical supplies must be lifted, early recovery must be funded and enabled, and donor support must continue.
“Decisions made today, by both parties to the conflict and donors, will determine whether the lull in this fighting will translate into a path toward stability or become just another lull before the next storm,” he said.