The severe weather, caused by a polar low-pressure system sweeping through the area, has exacerbated the suffering of Palestinian families whose homes were destroyed by Israeli airstrikes during the two-year-long genocidal war.

In low-lying areas, floodwaters submerged tents housing displaced families, while strong winds tore apart others, forcing families—including children—to seek shelter in the open air amid the cold and harsh weather.

Palestinians' efforts to secure their tents proved futile, as the storm’s force made it nearly impossible to keep the shelters intact.

“We have been living in this tent for two years. Every time it rains and the tent collapses over our heads, we try to put up new pieces of wood,” Shaima Wadi, a mother of four displaced from Jabaliya in northern Gaza, told the Associated Press.

“With how expensive everything has become, and without any income, we can barely afford clothes for our children or mattresses for them to sleep on,” she added.

Several buildings previously damaged by Israeli airstrikes during months of intensive bombardment have also collapsed due to the heavy rains and strong winds.

Many Palestinians have been left with no choice but to seek shelter in these already weakened and unsafe structures, as Israel continues to block the entry of winter supplies, mobile homes, and construction materials, failing to meet its commitments under ceasefire agreements.

“I collect nylon, cardboard, and plastic from the streets to keep them warm,” said Ahmad Wadi, who burns the materials or uses them as makeshift blankets for his loved ones.

“They don’t have proper covers. It is freezing, the humidity is high, and water seeps in from everywhere. I don’t know what to do.”

Cold temperatures are expected to further intensify, with puddles forming due to damaged infrastructure and the immense destruction left by Israeli bombardment.

Earlier on Saturday, the Municipality of North Gaza said the area had been “completely destroyed by the occupation, rendering it uninhabitable.”

It called on international organizations and governments to intervene urgently to salvage what remains of life in the enclave, in accordance with international law.

The municipality also requested immediate assistance with fuel, spare parts, and equipment needed to operate water wells, collect waste, and maintain sewage pumping systems.

Since the onset of severe weather in Gaza this December, 17 Palestinians, including four children, have lost their lives. Additionally, nearly 90 percent of displaced people’s shelters have been flooded, according to a statement from Gaza’s Civil Defense.

The ongoing storms have also affected more than a quarter of a million displaced people out of approximately 1.5 million living in makeshift tents and rudimentary shelters that offer minimal protection, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.

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