United Nations, Jan 3 (NationPress) More than 1 million individuals, which equates to nearly every other resident in Gaza, are in dire need of shelter assistance, as reported by the Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.

The office highlighted that the need for shelter persists despite the distribution of thousands of tents and hundreds of thousands of tarpaulins and other essentials across the region since the ceasefire, according to Xinhua.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, humanitarian workers in Gaza are actively supporting the most vulnerable families; however, the severe winter conditions are forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to endure life in makeshift tents that are increasingly compromised by rain, wind, and seawater.

Additionally, partners of the UN working in water, sanitation, and hygiene are encountering significant challenges in waste management. The disparity between the waste collected and what accumulates is growing, primarily due to restricted access to landfills, damaged infrastructure, and fuel shortages, as stated by the spokesperson's office.

Notably, teams supported by the UN Children's Fund have successfully removed 1,000 tonnes of solid waste each month since the ceasefire, playing a crucial role in protecting the health and well-being of children and their families.

The UN Development Programme noted in December that solid waste management services are among the most severely impacted, with limited operational temporary dumping sites, which exacerbates both environmental and public health risks, according to the spokesperson's office.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which includes UN entities and their partners, urged Israeli authorities to reconsider their plan to restrict many international non-governmental organizations from operating, emphasizing the critical role these organizations play in humanitarian efforts in the occupied Palestinian territory.