From the Liveblog of
Monday, November 9, 2026
After storms sweep through tent camps in Gaza, IDF says winter supplies entering war-torn enclave
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
As footage over the weekend showed flooded tent camps in Gaza amid stormy winter weather, the Israeli military says it is continuing to enable supplies to enter the Strip.
“While Hamas refuses to disarm and continues to exploit civilian areas and humanitarian aid for terrorist activity, the IDF and COGAT are proactively working to improve the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip ahead of winter,” the military says in an English-language statement.
The IDF says that together with the Defense Ministry’s COGAT agency, they have been “advancing a winter preparedness plan in coordination with the Board of Peace and in cooperation with the UN, international organizations, and donor countries.”
“Since the implementation of the plan began, more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying tarpaulins, blankets, winter clothing, and other additional supplies have entered the Gaza Strip,” the IDF says.
Additionally, the IDF and COGAT say they are “advancing projects to improve water and sanitation infrastructure, including sewage removal and improvements to water networks, as well as facilitating the entry of 12 sewage vacuum trucks for the International Committee of the Red Cross.”
In the medical sector, the military says the entry of 7,500 vaccine doses for UNICEF and three mobile clinics for the International Medical Corps were approved, “alongside medications, medical equipment, and fuel for hospitals and medical facilities throughout the Strip.”
“The IDF and COGAT have approved more than 850 requests covering tens of thousands of trucks, carrying winter-specific supplies: shelter, water, sanitation, and healthcare,” the statement says.
The military says that around half of the approved requests have not yet been carried out, because “the UN and international organizations have yet to transfer the requested equipment into the Strip, partly due to logistical and budgetary challenges unrelated to Israel.”
Israel has banned the entry of some equipment into Gaza, and has said it will not allow reconstruction work to begin until Hamas agrees to disarm and relinquish control of the enclave.
Among the banned equipment are mobile homes, which aid groups say are the most necessary item for protection against heavy rainfall and winter conditions. Israel’s refusal to allow them into the Strip has infuriated Board of Peace officials tasked with overseeing the postwar reconstruction of Gaza.
The military, in its statement, says that “the UN and international organizations acknowledge that they cannot guarantee that certain equipment they seek to bring into Gaza will not reach Hamas,” and that the IDF and COGAT “cannot ignore the known risk of terrorist organizations rebuilding their capabilities.”
“Accordingly, the IDF and COGAT are reviewing the equipment and advancing alternatives that will address humanitarian needs while minimizing the possibility of its exploitation by Hamas,” the statement adds.
The Times of Israel Community.