New storm to hit Gaza as humanitarian conditions deteriorate further for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians struggling to survive harsh winter weather in makeshift shelters across the besieged enclave.
According to reports from Gaza’s Government Media Office, nearly all displacement camps are now uninhabitable after weeks of heavy rain, strong winds and plunging temperatures.
The latest weather forecast has warned that another severe storm is expected to batter the territory, compounding the already dire humanitarian crisis.
Last week, authorities revealed that 127,000 of the 135,000 tents housing displaced families have been rendered unusable by extreme weather, leaving children, the elderly and the sick exposed to freezing nights.
“The reality on the ground tells a very painful and grim story,” Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum said from Gaza City. “Hundreds of thousands of displaced families are living in torn tents and roofless homes, exposed to rain, cold and violent winds.”
Israel’s military campaign, now stretching beyond two years, has displaced nearly Gaza’s entire population of more than two million people. Most are forced to live in temporary shelters unable to withstand winter conditions.
Abu Azzoum said the crisis has been worsened by Israeli restrictions on aid and construction materials. “There has been no entry of prefabricated mobile housing units or essential building materials needed for winter protection,” he said.
Under a United States-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10, aid deliveries were supposed to increase significantly, with at least 600 trucks a day entering Gaza. However, Gaza’s Government Media Office reports that only an average of 145 trucks have been allowed through daily.
As the new storm to hit Gaza approaches, displaced families are resorting to desperate survival tactics. Many reinforce tents with plastic sheets, burn scraps for warmth and sleep fully clothed to cope with freezing temperatures due to the lack of fuel and heating supplies.
“Winter in Palestine can be very brutal,” Abu Azzoum explained. “What makes this one especially devastating is that it comes after months of displacement, hunger and exhaustion.”
The harsh weather has also caused the collapse of already damaged buildings weakened by sustained bombardment. Gaza’s Ministry of Health says at least 25 people have been killed since mid-December due to weather-related structural collapses.
“The elderly, the sick and children are among those most affected,” Abu Azzoum said, noting that cold exposure has led to a growing number of deaths.
According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, 24 people have died from cold exposure, including 21 children, all of whom were living in displacement camps. Hospitals across the territory are reporting a surge in cold-related illnesses, particularly among infants and young children.
A spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence said emergency services have received hundreds of calls as families seek urgent assistance during freezing nights.
The Palestinian Meteorological Department has also warned of frost and freezing conditions caused by a polar air mass expected to affect large parts of Palestine, heightening fears ahead of the new storm to hit Gaza.
Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly warned that without immediate access to shelter materials, fuel and medical aid, the situation could spiral further out of control.
As another wave of severe weather looms, displaced Palestinians remain trapped between ongoing conflict, restricted aid access and the unforgiving winter, with no immediate relief in sight.
