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US Democratic Senator Brian Schatz has urged Israel to immediately allow building materials, rescue equipment and winter supplies into Gaza after heavy rainfall flooded tens of thousands of tents sheltering displaced Palestinians.
Schatz said more than 70,000 tents were flooded over the weekend, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians into renewed displacement and leaving four people dead, including three children and a woman.
Describing the situation as a humanitarian emergency, the senator said Israeli restrictions on fuel and the destruction of essential equipment had further hampered relief operations.
He also pointed to criticism from US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, which he said had blamed delays in Israel’s response for worsening the impact of a foreseeable humanitarian crisis.
“This isn’t from me. This isn’t from the Democrats. This is from the President’s Board of Peace,” Schatz said.
Warning that conditions could deteriorate further as winter approaches, he called for urgent action to provide shelter and essential supplies to displaced families.
“We don’t need to agree about everything else before we help these people,” he said. “We should help them because they are people.”
Source : Al Jazeera