The UN refugee agency (UNRWA) issued a warning Thursday about the dire situation facing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, as intense rains and strong winds threaten them with cold.
These people have already lost their homes due to the prolonged Israeli war, which continued for more than 15 months until a ceasefire took hold on Jan. 19.
"Many families remain in makeshift shelters due to widespread destruction," the agency said in a statement.
It added that heavy rain and strong winds in Gaza have left hundreds of thousands exposed to cold and wet conditions in the past 24 hours.
UNRWA said its teams are working to deliver "urgent and long-awaited aid—tents, mattresses, blankets, and clothing—to displaced people across Gaza."
A video released by the agency showed strong winds uprooting tents made of cloth and nylon, scattering belongings in the Al Mawasi area, northwest of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
Earlier, Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanoua said Palestinians living in tents and shelters had experienced a "harsh and catastrophic" night due to the weather conditions, exacerbating the dire situation caused by the destruction of their homes.
"The catastrophic reality in Gaza due to winter and the weather conditions requires international pressure and urgent action to compel the (Israeli) occupation to implement humanitarian protocols," he added.
According to an Anadolu reporter on the ground, the overnight rain flooded tents and shelters in both northern and southern Gaza, worsening the humanitarian conditions for Palestinians living in tents placed on the rubble of their destroyed homes.
Survivors of the Israeli genocide are seeking shelter in makeshift tents made of cloth and nylon in various areas of Gaza, including Al Mawasi and among the ruins of their homes.
Many displaced Palestinians are also taking refuge on roads, in sports fields, public squares, and schools, without any means of protection against the cold and storms.
According to the media office in the enclave, the Israeli army has destroyed nearly 88% of Gaza's infrastructure over the course of the war, including homes, vital facilities, and public services. The war has claimed more than 47,000 Palestinian lives thus far.
