Winter in Gaza: Rains Drown Hopes, and Tents at the Mercy of the Wind

30th November 2024

2 minutes read

Winter in Gaza: Rains Drown Hopes, and Tents at the Mercy of the Wind

Winter in the Gaza Strip is not just a season; it is yet another test of resilience, struggling for survival amidst the heat of conflict, the chill of weather, floods, and a long-awaited truce.

The ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of nearly two million people.

As Israeli bombing intensified, over a million displaced individuals were forced to crowd into tents in the sandy coastal area of Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis in the south.

On Monday, heavy rains flooded displacement camps across Gaza, adding seasonal winter misery to communities already devastated by 13 months of war, as Israeli forces escalated strikes on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

In a temporary displacement camp near the sea in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, thousands of families faced high tides, strong winds, and rain that damaged their nylon and fabric tents.

Images shared by international news agencies and social media show torrents sweeping away makeshift shelters made of plastic and fabric, used by displaced people, many of whom have had to flee multiple times due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Reuters reported that some placed water buckets on the ground to protect their mats from leaks and dug trenches to divert water away from their tents.

Many of the tents, already eroded early in the war, no longer provide protection, while their prices have risen far beyond the means of displaced families.

On Tuesday, Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), warned that as winter approaches, people in Gaza “need everything but are receiving very little.”

In a post on X, he stated: “Winter in Gaza means that people will not only die from airstrikes, disease, or hunger, but many will die shivering from the cold, especially the most vulnerable, including the elderly and children.”