Board of Peace Calls Israel's Gaza Aid Response Insufficient

Heavy rain turned the ground in Gaza into a swamp, trapping displaced families in mud.

The Board of Peace, the US-backed body overseeing the implementation of Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, issued a statement on Monday calling Israel's humanitarian response insufficient. The group acknowledged that steps are being considered by the Israeli government but urged for the immediate entry of all necessary supplies.

On Sunday, a sand embankment collapsed onto tents in the central Strip, killing three children and a woman. Most of Gaza's population has been displaced by military actions. The United Nations estimates that 65% of the population, approximately 1.4 million people, now reside in tents or makeshift shelters.

Mohammed Jneid, speaking to the AFP news agency from a soaked street in Gaza City, described the conditions. He said heavy rains hit from one side while sewage overflowed from the other. The ground and tents could no longer hold the water. Jneid stated that he had no bedding, food, or anything left.

Islam Al Mobayed, sitting inside her tent with seven children, five of them young, told AFP that she was exhausted. She described the situation as not being life. She said she and her family were tired of the entire experience.

The Board of Peace said it had been urging the Israeli government to authorize essential goods for temporary shelter and water and sanitation infrastructure. The body claimed that delays in approving these supplies exacerbated the consequences of a foreseeable humanitarian challenge. It also stated that these delays slowed the process of decommissioning weapons and transferring Hamas authority to a transitional government. The Board noted that Hamas's failure to disarm compounded the difficulties facing civilians.

UN humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov said on Monday that stocks of essential shelter and winter items inside Gaza were exhausted. He called on Israeli authorities to lift all restrictions on entry immediately, adding that there was no more time. The UN's OCHA agency reported that more than 150,000 tents were waiting outside Gaza. It cited Israeli restrictions on supplies and funding shortfalls as constraints on aid efforts.

Israel's military agency Cogat said it had allowed in tens of thousands of tents and trucks with winter supplies. It specified that it would not allow equipment that could be used for military purposes. Michal Maayan, spokeswoman for the Israeli foreign ministry, said Israel had implemented a winter plan in coordination with the Board of Peace and international charities. She claimed this plan brought in more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying tarpaulins, blankets, and winter clothing. Maayan accused Hamas of hoarding aid and being responsible for delays and winter hardships.

Hamas responded in a statement published on Palestinian media, calling the Board's account distorted. The group denied responsibility for ceasefire delays, citing an August statement from Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators that accused Israel of violations. Hamas said Israeli restrictions prevented the entry of necessary materials. It added that the Board, as the ceasefire implementor, should examine its own shortcomings. The peace plan, agreed to in October 2025 to end the two-year war, required Hamas to give up governance and weapons in exchange for a phased Israeli troop withdrawal. Israel insists Hamas must fully disarm before withdrawal. The dispute has stalled the next stages of the plan. The war began after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. The Israeli military campaign has killed 74,645 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. More than 1,600 people have died since the ceasefire in October 2025. Israel says six of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza since then.