GAZA, (PIC)
Displaced individuals in the tents of the Gaza Strip spent a difficult night under the influence of a severe winter storm, as heavy rains and strong winds caused tents to flood and some to be uprooted, exacerbating their humanitarian suffering after their homes were destroyed due to the Israeli aggression.
Since the ceasefire, no new caravans or tents have been brought into the Strip except for a trickle of what is needed, leaving the displaced without sufficient protection from harsh weather conditions. Many found themselves trapped between floods and winds, worsening their humanitarian situation.
Tragic scenes in the camps
In the Shati Camp in northern Gaza, citizen Taghreed Abdo reported that floods and rain closed the streets and surrounded the tents, with no rescue means available. She added, “The children are shivering from the cold, and we don’t know how we will spend the next night.”
In the Attar area in the southern part of the Strip, citizen Salah Mousa mentioned that the rain washed away their tents, forcing them to spend the night outdoors under the open sky. He noted that the children are crying from the cold, with no protection from the heavy rains.
A worsening catastrophic situation
This night was not an exception but reflects a tragic reality that thousands of displaced families have been living for months, amid the absence of urgent solutions to protect them from harsh weather fluctuations. As the cold spell continues, fears of new humanitarian disasters are increasing due to the scarcity of aid and the lack of appropriate alternatives for shelter.
The weather conditions reveal the extent of the suffering of the displaced, as conditions worsen amid limited resources and a lack of rescue means. The complete destruction of buildings and infrastructure makes it impossible to provide the necessary assistance. The displaced taking shelter in the Mawasi area as well as in other areas of the enclave are living among the ruins of their destroyed homes and have resorted to makeshift tents made of cloth and nylon.
Additionally, citizens whose homes have been destroyed are staying in streets, playgrounds, public squares, and schools, without any means to protect them from the cold and storms.
The suffering expands
For its part, the Civil Defense in Gaza confirmed that the suffering of the displaced in various areas of the Strip is escalating with the ongoing weather fluctuations accompanied by strong winds, as thousands of citizens return to their destroyed homes amid the lack of the most basic housing and shelter requirements.
The Civil Defense stated in a statement on Thursday, “Our teams, as the first responders, are still unable to respond to the distress calls of the displaced in the tents and shelters.”
It indicated that the current weather depression reveals the true extent of the suffering faced by citizens who have shifted from temporary displacement to their initial displacement, whether in their homes that they found destroyed or in the tents they set up on the rubble.
The Civil Defense emphasized its urgent need for rescue vehicles, large pumps, and heavy rescue equipment to drain the rainwater that has flooded areas and shelters. The Mawasi area extends from the west of Rafah city to the west of the cities of Deir al-Balah (central) and Khan Yunis (south), where citizens live in deteriorating humanitarian conditions that increase their suffering amid harsh circumstances and daily difficulties in securing essential needs.
Since the beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, about 88% of the infrastructure in the Strip has been destroyed, including homes and vital service facilities. With the continuation of these harsh conditions, there is an increasing need for urgent intervention by humanitarian organizations and the international community to provide the necessary assistance to the displaced in the Gaza Strip and to ensure safe shelter that protects them from weather fluctuations and alleviates their ongoing suffering.
