MERCY MALAYSIA URGES IMMEDIATE BORDER OPENINGS AS STORM BYRON WORSENS GAZA CRISIS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- MERCY Malaysia today urged the immediate opening of all border crossings into Gaza as Storm Byron deepens the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

MERCY Malaysia, in a statement, said the storm has brought severe flooding, strong winds and freezing temperatures, worsening the situation for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who remain displaced and living in fragile tents after two years of conflict and prolonged restrictions on humanitarian access.

MERCY Malaysia president Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, in the same statement, said Storm Byron is not merely a weather event but a humanitarian emergency unfolding within an already catastrophic situation.

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“Millions of Palestinians have endured months of displacement, hunger and insecurity. The flooding caused by this storm now threatens the little shelter they have left.

“Without immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access through all viable border crossings, we risk witnessing preventable deaths on a massive scale,” he said.

In line with international humanitarian law, MERCY Malaysia stressed that border crossings must be opened without delay to enable the flow of shelter materials, medical supplies, fuel, water and sanitation equipment, as well as winterisation items.

“Humanitarian personnel must be granted full, safe and unimpeded access, while all parties must ensure the protection of civilians seeking aid.

“It is also critical for the international community to exert collective pressure to uphold these obligations amid the dual impact of conflict and natural disaster. Every hour of delay risks further loss of life,” it said.

More than 850,000 Palestinians across 761 displacement sites now face acute flooding risks, with previous storms having contaminated shelters with sewage and swept away temporary dwellings.

MERCY Malaysia said the lack of adequate shelter is largely due to heavy entry restrictions on essential relief items, noting that only 40,000 tents have been allowed into Gaza compared with the 300,000 needed, while critical tools and materials required to repair water and sewage systems have also been severely limited.

Reports from humanitarian agencies indicate that more than 288,000 families are currently without shelter as intense rainfall is expected to continue, forcing many to seek refuge in unstable, damaged buildings that may collapse.

-- BERNAMA