Urgent parliamentary intervention is required to protect civilians in Gaza from rains and cold and to unblock the entry of winter supplies
Honorable Members of the European Parliament, We, the International Justice Forum in Istanbul, the Geneva Centre for Democracy and Human Rights in Geneva, and the International Association of Jurists, Geneva Branch, address this urgent appeal to you, calling for immediate parliamentary and humanitarian action to protect displaced persons in the Gaza Strip from rain and cold, amid the lack of adequate shelter and safe heating facilities, particularly for children, women, older persons and those who are ill. Families forced to leave their homes in the Gaza Strip now face an additional threat to their health and lives. Fragile tents do not prevent water from entering and offer little protection against the cold. Wet blankets and clothing deprive children of even the minimum warmth and protection they need. These risks are particularly severe for infants, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those who are ill, especially given the difficulties in accessing healthcare, food and clean water. Cold weather and hypothermia have claimed the lives of at least 26 children in the Gaza Strip during the winters of 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, according to official figures issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Health and UNICEF. Yesterday, two children in Gaza reportedly died when sand collapsed on them because of rainfall. More than 70,000 families in the Gaza Strip are now without shelter or even a tent. Governments cannot control rainfall, but the authorities imposing restrictions have the power to remove obstacles preventing the entry of tents, blankets and winter clothing. When risks are foreseeable and preventive measures are available, delays in delivering humanitarian assistance expose civilians to avoidable harm. The greatest suffering falls upon infants, children, pregnant women, older persons, those who are ill and persons with disabilities, particularly when they are forced to remain in flooded shelters or leave them in freezing conditions. Article 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention requires the Occupying Power, where the whole or part of the population of an occupied territory is inadequately supplied, to agree to relief schemes on behalf of the population and facilitate them by all the means at its disposal. Furthermore, the International Court of Justice, in its order on provisional measures issued on 28 March 2024 in the case of South Africa v. Israel, ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure the provision, without obstruction and at scale, of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance throughout the Gaza Strip, in full cooperation with the United Nations. The Court’s order expressly referred to shelter, clothing and fuel, which are among the essential needs addressed in this appeal. In its resolution of 11 September 2025, the European Parliament called for full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the Gaza Strip and emphasized the need to provide shelter. Accordingly, we call upon the European Parliament to adopt an urgent resolution containing clear and specific demands addressed to the Israeli occupying authorities, and to call upon the Council of the European Union and the European Commission to take measures within their respective powers if the obstruction of humanitarian assistance continues, as follows: 1. Immediate Entry of Essential Winter Supplies Call upon the Israeli authorities to allow the immediate entry of rainproof tents, insulating blankets, winter clothing, safe heating equipment, drainage equipment and the fuel necessary to operate humanitarian relief facilities. 2. Opening of Land Crossings and Increased Humanitarian Access Call for the opening of land crossings to winter humanitarian assistance and an increase in their capacity. We urge that the United Nations and its partners be enabled to deliver assistance regularly, in quantities determined by needs on the ground, and to ensure that such assistance reaches displacement sites throughout the Gaza Strip. 3. Protection and Relocation of Displaced Families Call upon the Israeli authorities to facilitate access by humanitarian personnel to camps at risk of flooding, enable the relocation of affected families to safe shelters, and allow the entry of equipment necessary to repair drainage and sanitation systems around displacement sites. 4. Independent Investigation and Accountability Call upon the European Parliament to request an independent investigation into cases of obstruction suspected of violating international humanitarian law, and to ensure accountability for those found responsible through the appropriate legal procedures. Please accept the assurances of our highest consideration and respect. Geneva Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, Geneva International Association of Jurists, Geneva Branch International Justice Forum, Istanbul