As winter descends on Gaza, residents face a dire situation with over 400,000 homes destroyed due to ongoing conflict. Many are forced to choose between living in tents vulnerable to harsh weather or risking life in the precarious ruins of collapsed buildings. With no other options available, families like that of Hiyam Abu Nabah have settled into the remnants of their homes, enduring the elements without protection.
Abu Nabah resides in a structure in the Hamad area of Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Her family has no access to a tent and faces a constant threat from the unstable upper floors, which could collapse at any moment. Following torrential rains last week that claimed at least 17 lives, including children, the situation has become increasingly critical. According to Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense, many individuals died due to building collapses exacerbated by the weather.
The latest storms affected over 90 residential buildings and caused approximately 90% of shelters for displaced families to flood. “On the first day of the storm, we could hear the stones cracking above our heads,” Abu Nabah recounted. “Sand was falling into our eyes… this is not a life.” Her five-year-old child navigates the hazardous space, where exposed electrical wires hang dangerously low.
Nearby, Awn Al Haj demonstrated the risks of living in such conditions. He poked at the roof of his shelter, revealing dislodged stones and sand. “Three days of it were like the early days of the war… you did not know what would happen to you while you are sitting here,” he said, emphasizing the peril posed by crumbling structures. Al Haj lamented, “This is a band aid solution to a life-threatening problem.”
In the al-Shati camp, tragedy struck when a building collapsed on Tuesday, killing a man and injuring two others. A neighbor recounted that the structure had been severely damaged during an Israeli airstrike, and the winter conditions proved too much for it to bear. “Day after day a house falls, day after day people die,” they stated, calling for immediate action to address the deteriorating living conditions.
The challenges faced by the Gaza Civil Defense are immense. Mohammad Fathi, a member of the emergency service, noted their lack of heavy machinery to assist in rescue efforts. “With every winter storm, many families and many children will die,” he warned. Despite their advice to evacuate damaged buildings during heavy rain, many residents have no viable alternatives.
The United Nations reports that 1.3 million Palestinians urgently need shelter this winter. The Israeli agency COGAT indicated that nearly 310,000 tents and tarpaulins, along with over 1,800 trucks of warm blankets and clothing, have been permitted into Gaza recently. However, the UN and various international NGOs are urging Israel to allow additional aid to reach those impacted.
Tragically, among the victims of the recent weather events were a two-week-old infant and an eight-month-old child, both succumbing to hypothermia. With the majority of shelters already compromised by flooding, more families will find themselves in dangerous, unstable living conditions.
Residents like Bakr Mahmoud al-Sheikh Ali report ongoing collapses in his neighborhood in Khan Younis, reflecting a pervasive fear. “People are afraid, but they tell you, brother, I need shelter, I do not want a tent and water in the winter, in this cold weather… whatever happens, happens,” he said.
The overwhelming sentiment among displaced Gazans is clear: “This is no way to live.” As the humanitarian crisis deepens, the urgent need for assistance and viable shelter solutions grows ever more critical.