Displaced Palestinians in Gaza have a hard time in the winter because they can’t get much help, and things are getting worse after the war.
- More than 945,000 Palestinians need winter goods right away.
- Blockades, damage, and problems with setting priorities make it harder to help.
Winter has made things even worse in the Gaza Strip, where nearly 2 million Palestinians who have been forced to leave their homes because of the 14-month war with Israel are struggling to stay alive in tough conditions.
As the temperature drops into the 40s (mid- to high single digits Celsius), tents and other homemade shelters aren’t very good at keeping out the rain and cold winds.
Some families, like Shadia Aiyada’s, are afraid that their tents will fall apart. She left Rafah with her eight children and said, “Strong winds could knock them over while we’re inside.”
Many parents worry about their kids’ health when they don’t have enough blankets or warm clothes.
The UN says that at least 945,000 people in Gaza need winterization goods like blankets, clothes, and heating tools right away, but they are hard to find and too expensive for most people.
Aid groups have a hard time getting goods to people in need because of problems with logistics, limits by Israel, and the fact that food aid is given more attention than other necessities.
Rats and bad weather in nearby nations have stolen or destroyed a large number of blankets, tents, and beds.
Why is there so little cold help in Gaza?
- Delays: Shipping help is held up because it needs permission from several officials.
- Blockades: Israeli limits make it hard for goods to get to where they need to go.
- Setting priorities: food is more important than other supplies.
- Destruction: Rodents and bad weather hurt things that are piled up.
UNRWA says it has sent 6,000 tents to northern Gaza, but many places are still hard to get to. It’s hard for the International Rescue Committee to bring in clothes for kids.
Israel says it has made it easier for aid to get to the area, but aid workers say the goods aren’t enough to meet everyone’s needs.
During the war, more than 45,000 Palestinians have died. More than half of those killed were women and children.
The war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023. It has destroyed Gaza’s economy and infrastructure, making winter clothes too expensive for most families to buy.
Reda Abu Zarada, who had to leave northern Gaza, said, “We can feel frost coming out of the ground.” She sleeps with her kids in her arms, who are cold and struggling to stay warm.
Some parents, like Omar Shabet, are afraid that light fires to stay warm will make their bunkers easy targets for attacks.
As talks between Hamas and Israel to end the fighting move forward, people are hoping that more relief help will be sent.
Families who have been forced to leave Gaza must now face the hard winter with few resources and growing despair.
