Israel on Tuesday, 11 November 2026, squarely blamed Hamas for the ongoing suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, insisting that reconstruction of the war-devastated enclave cannot begin until the militant group disarms. The statement came a day after US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace criticised Israel for delays in allowing humanitarian supplies into the territory.

What Israel Said

In a statement posted on X, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had facilitated the entry of more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying winter 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.

Scale of the Humanitarian Crisis

The scale of displacement inside Gaza remains alarming. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 1.4 million Palestinians — roughly 65 per cent of Gaza's population — are currently living in tents or makeshift shelters. As of 8 November, humanitarian partners had received appeals from more than 26,000 households whose shelters or belongings had been damaged. More than 6,000 family shelters were reportedly destroyed, 17,400 were damaged, and over 3,900 households had no shelter at all. OCHA warned that humanitarian shelter stocks inside Gaza were virtually exhausted, while more than 150,000 tents remained outside the territory awaiting entry clearance.

Board of Peace Calls Israel's Response 'Insufficient'

The Board of Peace, chaired by Trump and formally established in January 2026 following an October 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, said on Monday that Israel's response to the winter emergency remained 'insufficient.' It called for the immediate entry of essential shelter, sanitation, and drainage equipment, and said Israeli delays had aggravated a foreseeable humanitarian crisis. Notably, the Board also urged Hamas to disarm and relinquish power — drawing parallel pressure on both sides.

Context and What It Means

The Board of Peace was set up to oversee the implementation of Trump's peace plan, including Gaza's transitional governance and reconstruction framework. Its public rebuke of Israel marks a rare instance of the Trump-led body directly criticising a key US ally over humanitarian obligations. Critics argue that with winter already setting in and over a million displaced civilians relying on tent camps, the gap between the volume of supplies reportedly cleared by Israel and what is actually reaching civilians on the ground demands independent scrutiny. The standoff over disarmament versus reconstruction aid effectively leaves Gaza's civilian population caught between two competing political demands.

What Happens Next

With the Board of Peace having publicly flagged Israeli delays and simultaneously pressing Hamas to disarm, the coming weeks will test whether either side adjusts course. OCHA's warning about exhausted shelter stocks inside Gaza adds urgency, and further deterioration of living conditions through winter could intensify international pressure on all parties.