UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese accused Israel of treating Palestinians in Gaza as 'expendable', saying a severe winter storm exposed how damaged infrastructure and restrictions on aid magnified the disaster. At least seven children died amid freezing conditions, which UNICEF says were worsened by shortages of food, medicine, fuel and blocked assistance. Albanese urged stronger punitive measures, including trade cuts and an arms embargo, and pointed to the International Court of Justice advisory opinion as a starting point for a political solution. Weather experts warned winds exceeded 100 km/h, further damaging flimsy shelters and forcing water into camps with no drainage.
UN Rapporteur: Israel Treats Storm-Hit Gaza Residents As 'Expendable' — Calls For Sanctions
Palestinians struggle as heavy rains and strong winds damage and destroy their tents in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza on January 13, 2026 [Moiz Salhi/Anadolu]
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on Palestine, has accused Israel of treating Palestinian lives in Gaza as 'expendable', saying the deadly impact of a severe winter storm was amplified by the prior destruction of the territory's infrastructure.
Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic as a deep weather depression battered the Gaza Strip, Albanese described testimony from families who sat in mud and darkness after makeshift shelters collapsed. At least seven children have died amid freezing conditions, according to UNICEF.
Humanitarian officials and aid workers told reporters that the storm was a natural event whose deadliness was exacerbated by man-made factors: the dismantling of essential systems, shortages of food and medicine, and restricted access to fuel and cooking gas needed for heating.
'It is shocking even for me sitting far away. Their lives seem like hell,' Albanese said, reacting to accounts of people searching for relatives buried under rubble after buildings damaged by the storm gave way under heavy rain.
James Elder, a UNICEF spokesperson in Gaza City, confirmed seven child fatalities and warned that children with severely weakened immune systems had little resilience against the cold. He described the situation as 'extreme misery' and said layers of aid denials and restrictions have left families defenseless against harsh winds that weather experts said exceeded 100 kilometres per hour.
When asked about Israel's humanitarian response and recent moves to cut ties with some UN agencies, Albanese was direct: she accused Israeli policy of showing disregard for civilian survival and urged the international community to take stronger measures. She said that continued aid deliveries, while necessary, are not sufficient without political and economic pressure to change policy.
Albanese called for immediate punitive steps intended to force policy change, including cutting trade ties, imposing an arms export embargo and suspending normal diplomatic and commercial dealings. She also emphasized that any just resolution must begin with the International Court of Justice advisory opinion that ordered the dismantling of the occupation, rather than political plans that ignore conditions on the ground.
Weather presenter Khaled Saleh of Al Jazeera noted that the depression brought polar winds with speeds more commonly associated with tropical storms, capable of uprooting trees and destroying worn-out tents. With Gaza's drainage systems and housing stock heavily damaged, rainwater flowed directly into camps and shelters, further endangering displaced families.
Context: The remarks come amid long-standing concerns about humanitarian access and infrastructure in Gaza, and follow repeated calls from aid agencies for unobstructed deliveries of fuel, medical supplies and winter relief. International legal, political and humanitarian debates continue over how to respond to both the immediate crisis and the longer-term protection of civilians.
Help us improve.
