Ninety-four percent of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents need shelter as Israeli gunfire and strikes continue inside the enclave, United Nations (UN) agencies and peacekeepers warned on Thursday, 20 August 2026, according to UN News. More than four out of five families currently face critical or catastrophic living conditions, lacking fuel, energy and essential household items. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric outlined the mounting toll of Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries and services. Burials also took place this week for 50 Palestinians recovered from the rubble two years after their deaths. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes and demolitions continue in Lebanon.
Nearly two-thirds of families in Gaza live in tents or makeshift shelters that rapidly deteriorate in harsh weather, as they are designed only for short-term use, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) reported. Last winter, more than 70 percent of families experienced flooding in their shelters. Ahead of the cold and rainy season, humanitarian partners are working to secure adequate shelter for families. Obstacles to aid delivery include funding shortfalls and Israeli restrictions on materials and equipment. UN partners estimate that $562 million is needed to improve living conditions.
OCHA continued to receive reports of Palestinian civilians in Gaza being killed, injured or otherwise impacted by Israeli air strikes, shelling and gunfire, including children. On Thursday, the bodies of 50 people, including 19 children, killed over two years ago, were laid to rest after being recovered from under the rubble in recent days. Efforts to remove rubble and retrieve bodies remain limited by restrictions on heavy machinery, spare parts and lubricants. Access restrictions across vast areas within the Gaza Strip further impede recovery. Since May, UNDP pest control activities have expanded to reach more than 3,250 high-risk sites, including displacement sites, markets and hospitals.
“These constraints affect people’s ability to sleep, their ability to cook, their ability to wash, their ability to store food and water, maintain adequate lighting, and cope with heat and cold,” Mr. Dujarric said.
He added that obstacles persist in bringing more structured shelter into Gaza. In Lebanon, the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL reported from Monday to Wednesday 86 airspace violations, nine airstrikes and 265 projectiles launched by Israeli forces. UNIFIL also recorded nearly 30 instances of drone activity, including reconnaissance sorties, kinetic strikes and suicide drones. Seven incidents this week involved patrols, convoys or humanitarian movements being delayed, rerouted or forced to turn back.
UN agencies continue delivering assistance across Gaza, southern Lebanon and the West Bank. UNRWA is opening a new temporary learning space in Gaza and distributing food parcels in Lebanon’s refugee camps. UNICEF is supporting educational spaces in the West Bank and has helped install solar energy systems in 16 primary healthcare centers. The World Food Programme reaches around 1.5 million people in Gaza with food parcels, wheat flour, bread, hot meals and cash assistance. UNDP has also published new guidelines for removing and recycling debris to restore access to hospitals, roads and humanitarian service points.