Nearly 2 million displaced Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to endure the harsh winter with limited resources. A severe shortage of blankets, warm clothing, wood for fires, and durable tents leaves many vulnerable to the cold, wind, and rain. Makeshift shelters have deteriorated after months of heavy use, exacerbating the crisis, according to residents and aid workers.
Shadia Aiyada, displaced from Rafah to Muwasi, relies on a single blanket and a hot water bottle to keep her eight children warm in a fragile tent. “We fear strong winds will collapse our tents while we’re inside,” she said. Her children, dressed in borrowed summer clothes, risk falling ill due to the cold.
Night temperatures in Gaza can drop to single digits Celsius, making survival increasingly difficult. The United Nations has reported that at least 945,000 people urgently need winter supplies, which remain inaccessible due to high costs and logistical barriers. Infectious diseases, exacerbated by malnutrition, are also on the rise.
Despite planning throughout the year, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been unable to meet Gaza’s winter needs. While 6,000 tents were distributed in northern Gaza, 22,000 tents, 600,000 blankets, and truckloads of mattresses remain stranded in neighboring countries due to Israeli restrictions and security concerns.
Many families, like that of Reda Abu Zarada, sleep huddled together in torn tents to combat freezing temperatures. “I’m terrified of waking up one day to find a child frozen to death,” she said. Others, like Omar Shabet, fear lighting fires outside their tents could attract airstrikes.
Israel’s blockade has led to widespread shortages of food, water, electricity, and medicine, while displacing almost the entire population of Gaza. Over 45,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the conflict.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
