The Arab Parliament issued an urgent humanitarian appeal to the international community and the United Nations, calling for immediate action to save the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, who face the risk of freezing to death or drowning inside dilapidated displacement tents. This comes amid heavy rains, storms, and freezing cold, with a lack of basic shelter and humanitarian protection.
Escalation of the Humanitarian Disaster
The Parliament warned in a statement on its official website, on Monday, of the worsening humanitarian disaster as hundreds of thousands of displaced people continue to face harsh living conditions that threaten their lives and safety. It pointed out that scenes of tents flooding with rainwater and some collapsing on their occupants embody a horrific humanitarian tragedy requiring immediate international action.
Binding International Responsibility
The Arab Parliament emphasized that what displaced people are facing is not merely a disaster caused by bad weather, but a tragedy exacerbated by the widespread destruction caused by the aggression of the Israeli occupation entity. It stressed that protecting civilians and providing their basic needs is a legal obligation imposed by the rules of international humanitarian law, primarily the Fourth Geneva Convention, and a humanitarian and moral responsibility that allows no delay.
Demands for Shelter and Aid
The statement called on the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and humanitarian and relief organizations to act immediately and effectively to provide temporary housing and rain-resistant tents, as well as shelter, heating, blankets, and medicines. It also called for the entry of humanitarian aid without restrictions or obstacles, and for taking urgent measures to protect displaced people from the dangers of rain and flash floods.
New Victims and Collapses
Five Palestinians, including a woman and three children, were killed on Sunday due to the collapse of a sand embankment onto the tents of displaced people in the Ardi al-Rabat camp in Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip. This resulted from heavy rains that flooded tents and damaged shelter centers, amid warnings of the collapse of cracked buildings and the threat to the lives of more civilians.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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