UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians said Tuesday they are fast-tracking aid funds for Gaza following recent torrential rains and ahead of the approaching winter.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that Ramiz Alakbarov, humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, has released 18 million U.S. dollars from a fund to support critical relief operations across Gaza.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said Monday during a visit to Sudan that Palestinians across Gaza are cold and soaked following the recent rains, adding that frustration is growing as floods rise and what little people have is destroyed.

Fletcher reiterated that the United Nations and its partners are mobilizing to help, but much more is needed, adding that the remaining access restrictions in Gaza must be lifted to secure more aid urgently.

OCHA said that UN and its aid partners remain committed to providing life-saving support, including shelter, as humanitarian actors in the UN-coordinated aid system continue to distribute tents, tarpaulins and other essential items to affected families, and assess people's needs to guide the response.

The funds released by Alakbarov allow partners to move ahead with more than 30 planned projects covering everything from food and nutrition to water, health, shelter, protection and other essential support, the office said.

As of Sunday, OCHA said that the number of operational health service points in Gaza had risen to 219, up from fewer than 200 in October. The 22 new service points are 12 primary health care centers, six medical points, and four hospitals in the northern governorates.

The office said that more than 7,000 children under the age of 3 have been vaccinated during the first five days of the vaccination campaign launched on Nov. 9.

Partners providing food assistance reported that on Saturday, more than 1.3 million meals were distributed by more than two dozen partners through 195 kitchens, said OCHA. ■