JERUSALEM, Nov 2026 : Israel has blamed Hamas for the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, insisting that reconstruction of the war-devastated territory cannot begin until the Palestinian militant group disarms. The statement came a day after US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace criticised Israel over delays in allowing essential humanitarian supplies into the enclave.
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had facilitated the entry of more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying winter relief supplies, including blankets, clothing and tarpaulins.
"Hamas alone is responsible for the suffering of the people of Gaza," the statement said, adding that the group's refusal to disarm remained the primary obstacle to reconstruction.
However, figures released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted the scale of the shelter crisis. As of November 8, humanitarian organisations had received requests for assistance from more than 26,000 households whose shelters or belongings had been damaged.
More than 6,000 family shelters had reportedly been destroyed and another 17,400 damaged. Over 3,900 households were left without any shelter, according to OCHA.
The Board of Peace, in a statement on Monday, described Israel's response to the winter emergency as "insufficient" and called for the immediate entry of essential shelter materials, sanitation supplies and drainage equipment.
It said delays in Israeli approvals had worsened a foreseeable humanitarian crisis. At the same time, the board urged Hamas to disarm and relinquish control of Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.
Chaired by Trump, the Board of Peace was formally established in January 2026 following the October 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Its mandate includes overseeing the implementation of Trump's peace plan, particularly Gaza's transitional governance and reconstruction.
OCHA estimated that approximately 1.4 million Palestinians, representing 65 per cent of Gaza's population, were living in tents or makeshift shelters. The UN agency warned that humanitarian shelter stocks inside Gaza were almost exhausted, while more than 150,000 tents remained outside the territory awaiting permission to enter.
The contrasting statements from Israel and the Board of Peace underline continuing disagreements over humanitarian access, Hamas's disarmament and the conditions required to begin Gaza's reconstruction.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
