UN: Gazans face critical shelter conditions as rainy season arrives

Palestinians live inside damaged residential towers and in tents nearby in the northern Gaza Strip on September 17, 2026. (Photo: VCG)

Shelter conditions for the majority of Gazans range from critical to catastrophic as the rainy season arrives, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

Humanitarian partners continue to warn that families are living amid widespread destruction, immense humanitarian needs, and ongoing restrictions on access and the entry of essential supplies, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"An estimated 1.2 million people, or 58% of the population, face shelter conditions ranging from critical to catastrophic," said OCHA.

As the first rains of the season fell over Gaza on Friday, humanitarian partners stress that more than 65% of families they have assessed are living in tents or makeshift shelters, with over half of those described as being in poor or very poor condition, said the office.

Parts of a war-damaged residential building collapsed on Friday in Gaza City, the second such incident this week. Emergency teams were able to rescue children who were underneath the building, and only minor injuries have been reported, said OCHA.

The first collapse, which occurred on Wednesday, has killed at least 21, including 11 children.

OCHA said that, with its partners, it reached 200 households with rapid assistance last week and provided nearly 6,600 families with routine shelter support, including hundreds of new tents, tarpaulins, kitchen sets, solar lights, sleeping mats and blankets.

Once again, the UN urged Israeli authorities to approve the entry of heavy equipment, engine oil, durable shelter materials and other items necessary to repair damaged buildings and help people secure safer living conditions.