Tens of Thousands in Gaza Shelters Hit by Winter Storms

By Staff, Agencies

As winter storms hit Gaza, tens of thousands of displaced families struggle in makeshift tents, years after their homes were destroyed by war.

In interviews with RIA Novosti, displaced Palestinians described how winter storms have sharply worsened living conditions in Gaza, where thousands of families remain confined to fragile tents with little protection from rain or cold.

Displaced in a single tent, Umm Salim cares for 17 orphaned grandchildren as rain soaks their shelter and food runs short, leaving children struggling in the cold.

RIA Novosti reported that rainwater has flooded the few belongings displaced families still possess, destroying what remains of their personal property. Many families have been forced to physically hold onto their tents as strong winds threaten to tear them away.

Inside one displacement tent in Gaza, a displaced woman called Nadia Mahmoud said families have reached their breaking point after years of war, with winter conditions compounding their hardship.

She explained that she spent hours attempting to drain water from inside the tent and used iron rods salvaged from rubble to reinforce the structure, placing her remaining belongings in one corner to prevent them from being carried away by the wind.

Another displaced resident, Ramzi Jamil, said floodwaters destroyed his family's blankets and possessions. He told the agency that his needs have been reduced to basic warmth and shelter, explaining that he lacks access to tarps and blankets necessary to protect his children from the cold.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA] has confirmed that nearly 55,000 families across Gaza have been affected by recent rainfall, with shelters and belongings damaged or destroyed by winter storms.

Medical organizations have warned that deteriorating living conditions are increasing the risk of disease outbreaks among displaced populations.

Health groups have specifically cautioned against the spread of cholera and polio amid ongoing restrictions on the entry of medicines and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip.

Médecins Sans Frontières [Doctors Without Borders] said its teams have recorded elevated rates of respiratory infections in Gaza and warned that cases are expected to rise further throughout the winter season.

According to estimates by Gaza's Government Media Office, approximately 1.5 million Palestinians are currently living in severe humanitarian conditions due to the collapse of essential services, shortages of basic supplies, and ongoing restrictions on aid access linked to the "Israeli" blockade.