Storm Threatens the Safety of Displaced People and Damages Sharek Kitchens in the Gaza Strip

Gaza / Ramallah – November 7, 2026: Sharek Youth Forum expresses its grave concern over the damage caused by the storm to several of its kitchens in the Gaza Strip, including Sharek Kitchen 5 in Al-Bureij and Sharek Kitchen 3 in the Fash Farsh area. The teams faced difficulties lighting fires and restoring the kitchens to operation. Despite the harsh conditions on the ground, they managed to prepare and distribute meals to residents.

The rainfall has exposed displaced people to growing humanitarian risks. Large numbers of tents have been partially or completely damaged, and rainwater has entered them, threatening families’ safety and dignity—particularly that of children, older people, and those who are ill.

The Forum stresses that protecting civilians and meeting their basic needs, including food and other essential supplies, require urgent and effective action. International humanitarian law also requires that food and medical supplies be ensured for the population in occupied territory, and that relief schemes be facilitated when supplies are inadequate, in accordance with Articles 55 and 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. (ihl-databases.icrc.org, ihl-databases.icrc.org)

Accordingly, Sharek Youth Forum calls for urgent humanitarian action to provide tents, materials to repair damaged tents, blankets and other shelter supplies, fuel, and cooking materials, and to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches affected families without obstruction. The Forum also calls on human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as international bodies, to monitor the situation of displaced people and work to reduce the risks to their lives and dignity.

Continued rainfall, combined with the shortage of shelter and protective measures, threatens to deepen the suffering of people in Gaza. An urgent response commensurate with the scale of their needs is essential.