Humanitarians warn of fire threat to displaced Gaza families in shelters

UN humanitarians on Friday warned of a severe threat to the Gaza Strip displaced families from open fires used for cooking in dangerously overcrowded temporary shelters.



The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that families cook, sleep and store their belongings in small spaces and that the practice poses not only a threat to the community from fire but also to inhabitants' health.



"Since November 2025, our partners have recorded at least 12 fires in these shelters," said OCHA. "In the ten days leading up to 17 February, humanitarians provided shelter assistance to 85 families in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis whose shelters were damaged by a fire in Gaza city."



"Displaced families need adequate shelter to protect them from the elements and provide more privacy," the office said. "Humanitarian partners reiterate the urgent need to move towards more sustainable solutions."



Humanitarians have long been calling on Israel to allow more and more durable shelter supplies into the Strip.