Deadly Cold Sweeps Gaza as “Israel” Continues to Restrict Humanitarian Aid

By Staff, Agencies

At least 17 Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip this month as severe winter weather collides with a deepening humanitarian crisis, local authorities said, amid continued restrictions imposed by “Israel” on the entry of shelter materials and other essential aid.

The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza reported that heavy rainfall, strong winds and freezing temperatures have battered displacement sites, causing the collapse of walls, homes and tents — many of them already weakened by “Israeli” strikes. Medical sources said the dead include four children who succumbed to extreme cold.

Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal warned that temperatures drop sharply at night, placing young children at acute risk in the absence of adequate shelter and heating. “What we are experiencing now in Gaza is a real humanitarian catastrophe,” he said, urging urgent action to protect children from the cold.

Throughout December, at least 17 residential buildings collapsed entirely as storms continued to hit the coastal enclave. Civil Defense said roughly 90 percent of makeshift shelters housing displaced families — whose homes were destroyed by “Israeli” attacks — were flooded by rainwater.

The worsening conditions come as “Israel” continues to fall short of fully implementing its obligations under the ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10. Gaza’s Government Media Office has repeatedly stressed that this includes adherence to the humanitarian protocol, particularly allowing the entry of shelter supplies and the 300,000 tents and mobile homes designated for displaced people.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA] said in its Wednesday report that winterization supplies in Gaza remain “limited” amid persistent rain and cold. The agency noted that 44 designated emergency shelters experienced severe flooding this week due to blocked drainage systems — including 21 shelters in Khan Younis, 22 in Gaza City and one in North Gaza.

OCHA said the flooding temporarily disrupted access to drinking water and food, forcing some families to move into bathrooms, administrative offices, and temporary learning spaces after tents were damaged and belongings soaked. In total, 4,721 displaced people were affected, and more than 691 tents were damaged over two days. Site management teams worked to clear blocked drains and pump floodwater into drainage networks.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] warned that harsh weather is significantly increasing the risk of collapse in already damaged buildings across Gaza. The organization said thousands of civilians are being forced to remain in unsafe structures due to the lack of viable shelter alternatives, directly endangering lives and compounding the toll of casualties.

The Geneva-based humanitarian body emphasized the urgent need to scale up and sustain humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter and essential supplies, as well as equipment to repair vital infrastructure heavily damaged during the war. It stressed that aid must be granted unhindered access and delivered swiftly and safely to all parts of the Gaza Strip to ease the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Since October 2023, “Israel” has martyred at least 70,667 Palestinians in Gaza — the majority women and children — and wounded 171,151 others, according to local authorities.