Joint statement warns winter storms are worsening Gaza humanitarian situation

January 2, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Türkiye, the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt voiced concern over what they described as a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, aggravated by heavy rainfall and storms as well as limited humanitarian access, shortages of essential life-saving supplies and the slow pace of entry of materials needed to restore basic services and establish temporary housing.

Severe weather conditions have exposed the fragility of current humanitarian arrangements, the statement said, particularly for nearly 1.9 million people and displaced families living in inadequate shelters.

Flooded camps, damaged tents, the collapse of damaged buildings, cold exposure and malnutrition have increased risks to civilian lives, it added, including disease outbreaks, especially among children, women, the elderly and people with medical vulnerabilities.

The ministers praised the work of United Nations organisations and agencies, particularly UNRWA, and international humanitarian NGOs for continuing to assist Palestinian civilians and deliver aid under what they described as difficult and complex circumstances.

Israel was urged to ensure the UN and international NGOs can operate in Gaza and the West Bank in a sustained, predictable and unrestricted manner, given what the statement called their integral role in the humanitarian response; any attempt to impede their ability to operate was described as unacceptable.

Support was reaffirmed for UNSCR 2803 and President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan, alongside an intention to contribute to its implementation, with the stated aims of sustaining a ceasefire, ending the war in Gaza, securing a dignified life for the Palestinian people, and creating a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.

The statement stressed the urgent need to immediately initiate and scale up early recovery efforts, including the provision of durable and dignified shelter to protect the population from severe winter conditions.

The international community was called on to uphold what the ministers described as legal and moral responsibilities and to pressure Israel, as the occupying power, to lift constraints on the entry and distribution of essential supplies, including tents, shelter materials, medical assistance, clean water, fuel and sanitation support.

Immediate, full and unhindered humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip “without any interference by either party” was also urged through the UN and its agencies, along with the rehabilitation of infrastructure and hospitals and the opening of the Rafah Crossing in both directions, as stipulated in President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan.