Middle East: 94 per cent need shelter in Gaza, Israel ramps up demolitions in Lebanon

Ninety-four cent of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents need shelter as Israeli gunfire and strikes continue inside the enclave, UN agencies and peacekeepers warned on Thursday.Key pointsIsraeli restrictions continue to impede essential aid deliveries and services, from shelter-building to waste collectionBurials have finally taken place for 50 Palestinians who died two years ago after their bodies were recovered from the rubbleMore than 3,000 high-risk areas have been reached by pest control teamsIsraeli airstrikes and demolitions continue in LebanonMore than four out of five families currently face critical or catastrophic living conditions, which lack fuel, energy and essential household items, according to UN agencies and partners.“These constraints affect people’s ability to sleep, their ability to cook, their ability to wash, their ability to store food and water, maintain adequate lighting, and cope with heat and cold,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.Nearly two-thirds of families live in tents or makeshift shelters that rapidly deteriorate in harsh weather, as they are designed only for short-term use, according to the UN aid coordination office (OHCA).Israel restricts buil...