Gaza displaced families grapple with harsh winter as hundreds of tents flooded

Ahram Online , Monday 30 Dec 2024

Hundreds of tents housing families displaced across Gaza by the Israeli relentless war were flooded overnight and early Monday due to heavy rainfall, WAFA news agency reported.

Gaza
A woman sits next to her children inside a shelter at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

 

In areas like Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis' Al-Mawasi in the central and southern Gaza Strip, families endured a harrowing night as floodwaters engulfed their makeshift shelters, which were battered by strong winds.

Since 7 October 2023, approximately two million Palestinians have been forced to live in deteriorating tents after Israeli forces destroyed their homes.

These shelters, lacking basic amenities, offer little protection from the freezing winter and harsh weather conditions.

On Sunday, medical sources confirmed the death of a fifth infant, who was one month old, within a week due to the cold and lack of heating, highlighting the worsening humanitarian crisis in the region.

Over two million people remain trapped in dire conditions in Gaza, deprived of basic necessities, UNRWA Emergency Response Coordinator Louise Wottridge stated in a press release.

Rosalia Pollen, the UNICEF chief communications officer in Gaza, warned of the growing challenges as winter sets in, noting that children suffer from cold and dampness, with many still wearing summer clothes.

"Children are scavenging through rubble for plastic to burn," she said, adding that diseases are spreading rapidly amid collapsing healthcare services and repeated attacks on hospitals.

The Israeli occupation army's most recent attack was on Kamal Adwan Hospital on Friday. They set it on fire and detained more than 350 Palestinians, including patients and the hospital director, Hussam Abu Safieh.

Israel's bombardment and ground invasions have displaced around 90 percent of Gaza's 2.3 million population, often multiple times. Vast areas are in ruins, with critical infrastructure destroyed.

Israeli restrictions, bombing, and the breakdown of law and order have hindered aid delivery, raising fears of famine. Hunger leaves people at greater risk of disease and death.

Israel has killed 45,514 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children, and injured 108,189 others since it started its brutal war on Gaza.

Thousands remain buried under rubble or stranded on the streets as rescue teams struggle to access them due to relentless bombardments.

Short link: