Ammon News - The United Nations said that Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip continue to face severe winter conditions, reporting that 11 children have died from exposure to extreme cold since the beginning of winter season.

During a press conference in New York on Friday, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, affirmed that staff from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that families in Gaza are still struggling with the harsh winter conditions.

He noted that another child in Gaza died last week as a result of the cold, bringing the number of children who have died from hypothermia since the beginning of winter to 11.

The UN spokesperson explained that since October, the UN and its partners have distributed tens of thousands of tents and provided shelter for more than half a million people. However, he stressed that theses tents offer limited protection, especially during winter.

He indicated that the UN continues to call for more durable shelter solutions to reduce people's reliance on tents in the Gaza Strip, stressing the need for the uninterrupted and expanded entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods.

Haq addressed the developments in the occupied West Bank, noting that electricity and water had been cut off in recent days to schools and health centers in East Jerusalem, disrupting vital services for thousands of people.

He called on Israel to lift restrictions on aid workers, including the ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other international humanitarian organizations.

"All our aid partners must be allowed to bring in supplies and operate without hindrance in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem."

WAFA