As winter sets in, nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by 14 months of war in the Gaza Strip face severe hardships, struggling to shield themselves from the cold, rain, and wind.
Aid workers and residents report that families lack sufficient blankets, warm clothing, and firewood. Many are living in worn-out tents and makeshift shelters that have deteriorated due to prolonged use. Shadia Aiyada, who fled Rafah for Muwasi, shares a fragile tent with her eight children, relying on a single blanket and a hot water bottle to keep warm.
"We panic whenever we hear forecasts of rain and wind because our tents barely hold up," Aiyada said. "I worry my children will get sick without proper clothing."
Having escaped with only summer attire, her family now depends on borrowed clothes to endure the cold. Night temperatures in Gaza often drop to the mid-to-high single digits Celsius (40s Fahrenheit), increasing the risk of illness, especially among children.
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The United Nations has highlighted the precarious conditions, warning that makeshift shelters may not survive the winter. According to the U.N., at least 945,000 people urgently need winterization supplies, which have become unaffordable in Gaza. Rising malnutrition and the threat of infectious diseases further compound the crisis.
The U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has distributed 6,000 tents in northern Gaza over the past month but has been unable to deliver supplies to other areas due to ongoing hostilities. Essential items like 600,000 blankets and 33 truckloads of mattresses remain stuck in Jordan and Egypt, awaiting Israeli approval for transport. Many stored supplies have already been damaged by weather or looted.
The International Rescue Committee is also facing obstacles in delivering children’s winter clothing, citing lengthy approval processes from authorities. Dionne Wong, the group’s deputy director, emphasized the limited ability of Palestinians to prepare for winter.
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Israel's government claims to have collaborated with international organizations to deliver heaters, clothing, tents, and blankets. However, aid workers say the supplies are far from adequate.
The war has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry states that more than half the casualties are women and children, though Israel claims to have killed over 17,000 militants. The war began after Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages.
Negotiators are reportedly making progress toward a ceasefire that could increase aid flow, but for now, displaced families face harsh conditions. Most cannot afford winter clothes, which have become prohibitively expensive.
Reda Abu Zarada, 50, displaced from northern Gaza, described nights spent huddling with her children to keep warm. She fears rats that roam their torn tent and dreads the possibility of finding her children frozen.
Omar Shabet, displaced from Gaza City, avoids lighting fires to stay warm, fearing airstrikes.
"We stay inside our tent after sunset because it gets unbearably cold," he said. "My 7-year-old daughter cries at night from the cold."