Heavy rains over the past week have compounded the already dire living conditions of the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies say.
Unicef spokesman Jonathan Crickx told the BBC that the weather overnight had been 'horrendous', with the rain so intense that he had seen up to 15cm (6in) of water on the ground near his office.
He said he was extremely concerned that children living in tents and makeshift shelters in wet clothing would succumb to hypothermia and other illnesses.
Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has said one baby has died from hypothermia and at least 11 other people have died in building collapses caused by the severe weather.
UN agencies have stepped up deliveries of tents, blankets, and clothes since the Gaza ceasefire began nine weeks ago, but they have said there is still not enough aid getting in.
The UN and its partners estimate that almost 55,000 families have so far been affected by the rains, with their belongings and shelters damaged or destroyed.
More than 40 designated emergency shelters were severely flooded following downpours on Monday and Tuesday, forcing many people to relocate again.
According to Crickx, many families were attempting to remove water from flooded tents in the aftermath of the rain, which brought cold temperatures that posed a risk of illness, particularly for children.
Efforts by UNICEF have resulted in the distribution of some aid, including winter clothing kits and thousands of blankets and tents, but these supplies remain insufficient relative to the needs of the population.
The collapse of dangerous buildings has underscored the pressing need for international humanitarian aid, which has been hindered by complex geopolitical factors. Reports indicate that more than 70,600 individuals have died in Israel's ongoing military operations within Gaza since the outbreak of conflict, highlighting a multifaceted crisis driving the calls for immediate humanitarian intervention.
