Gaza’s Displaced Face Freezing Rain and Overwhelmed Shelters
Gaza (Quds News Network)- As the final day of 2024 unfolded, a severe winter storm battered the Gaza Strip, bringing heavy rain and freezing temperatures. Displaced families, already grappling with dire conditions, faced worsening hardships as rain flooded their makeshift shelters.
The Civil Defense reported receiving hundreds of distress calls from displaced residents. Many pleaded for urgent assistance as floodwaters inundated their tents and temporary shelters, leaving children exposed to freezing temperatures.
“We are doing our best to evacuate families from damaged shelters to slightly safer locations,” the Civil Defense said. “However, these new sites are often unsuitable for habitation, leaving people exposed to rain and biting cold.”
The Civil Defense urged local and international organizations to step in, especially for displaced families in central Gaza camps and areas like Khan Younis, Rafah, and western Deir al-Balah.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s municipality warned of a looming health and environmental crisis. Rising floodwaters combined with sewage spills after Israeli airstrikes disabled a key pumping station in Gaza City’s Al-Zeitoun neighborhood.
Freezing Temperatures Claim Lives Amid Humanitarian Crisis
The bitter cold has already claimed seven lives, including five children, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office. Officials fear the death toll will rise as displaced families struggle in rain-soaked tents, without adequate heating, clothing, or food supplies.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) highlighted the plight of Gaza’s children, with many falling ill due to the cold while wearing only summer clothing.
Displaced residents in the southern Gaza area of al-Mawasi reported a night of misery as relentless rain overwhelmed their shelters. Floodwaters rendered over 100,000 tents unusable while many tents are torn apart by strong winds, offering no protection against the freezing weather.
In central Gaza, conditions were equally grim. Over a million displaced individuals face severe food shortages as Israeli restrictions choke the entry of humanitarian aid. Many now rely on charity kitchens to survive.
Healthcare Collapse Deepens Suffering
The ongoing genocide has devastated Gaza’s healthcare system. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that repeated attacks on hospitals have crippled medical services in northern Gaza.
Both Kamal Adwan and the Indonesian hospitals have been forced out of service following Israeli assaults. “The destruction of healthcare facilities denies civilians access to life-saving care,” the ICRC stated. It called for the protection of medical facilities under international humanitarian law.
With few options left, Al-Awda Hospital, which previously received support from the ICRC, faces overwhelming pressure to meet the needs of the injured and sick.
The World Health Organization also condemned the airstrikes, highlighting how they emptied the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza of patients and staff.
Amid the ongoing crisis, a limited number of critically ill children were evacuated for treatment abroad, coordinated with the WHO. However, many others remain trapped in Gaza’s deteriorating conditions.
As rain and conflict persist, displaced families in Gaza brace for further suffering, calling on the world to step up and provide life-saving aid.
