A severe winter storm has compounded the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, leaving displaced families struggling to survive freezing temperatures and rising floodwaters.
Storm Byron made landfall this week, wreaking havoc on an enclave already devastated by two years of war. According to Palestinian sources, 12 people have died as a result of the extreme weather, while thousands of makeshift homes have been inundated.
A Crisis Upon a Crisis
The United Nations migration agency warns that approximately 800,000 displaced Palestinians are now at heightened risk. Many are living in temporary shelters that offer little protection against the elements.
The heavy rainfall has caused significant structural damage. Reports confirm that 13 buildings have collapsed due to the downpour. In one tragic incident, five individuals were buried beneath the rubble of a falling structure.
Desperate Conditions
For residents, the storm has turned a difficult situation into a nightmare. Said Khalil, a displaced resident from Gaza City, described the moment his temporary shelter failed.
“Our house in Gaza City was destroyed, so now we live here in a tent. When it rained, water poured in and the tent collapsed on top of us,” Khalil said. He emphasized that the current tents are unable to withstand winter conditions and pleaded for sturdier housing, such as containers.
No Safe Options
Others have been forced to make life-threatening decisions to escape the cold. Yassin Al-Baghdadi explained that he moved his family back into their previously damaged home because the conditions in the camps were too harsh for his sick, elderly mother.
They narrowly escaped death.
“We got out just in time before it collapsed,” Al-Baghdadi recounted. “Where should we go? Where can we live? Then let the house above us collapse.”
Calls for Aid
Humanitarian groups are sounding the alarm. They are calling on Israeli authorities to allow increased aid shipments into the territory.
Organizations stress that without immediate access to construction materials and essential supplies, residents cannot rebuild the infrastructure necessary to survive the winter months.
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