DaysofPal – The humanitarian situation for families and children in Gaza has reached “catastrophic” levels, UNICEF has warned, as the first winter storm of the season batters the besieged Strip.
UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires told journalists in Geneva that in the past few days, the storm has directly affected an estimated 17,000 families.
“We are seeing heartbreaking stories of desperate families feeling completely lost and exhausted after their tents got flooded,” Pires said. “Most of them have been displaced multiple times and lost everything in the past two years.”
He emphasized the extreme risks faced by children: “When children are sleeping in flooded tents without warm clothing or dry bedding, many lacking proper nutrition, with very low immunity, and already traumatized by conflict, winter becomes extremely dangerous.” Hypothermia, respiratory infections, and even death are serious threats.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher echoed these concerns in a post on X, writing, “Palestinians in Gaza are suffering from the cold and wet after the recent rains, and their frustration is compounded as floodwaters rise and destroy what little they have left.”
Fletcher stressed that while the UN and its partners are mobilizing aid, the scale of need far exceeds available resources and called on Israel to urgently lift remaining restrictions to allow more assistance to reach those in need.
Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq confirmed at a press conference Tuesday evening that humanitarian aid workers from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are distributing tents, plastic sheeting, and other essential relief items.
He explained that the heavy rains and winter conditions have intensified Gaza’s already dire living conditions, with the funding enabling projects focused on basic needs such as food, water, health, and shelter.
The scale of displacement is staggering. According to the Government Media Office, approximately 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza are living in dire conditions, lacking basic necessities and access to vital services due to the ongoing Israeli blockade. Most of the displaced are sheltering in damaged tents, with around 93%, 125,000 out of 135,000, deemed uninhabitable as of September.
Over nearly two years of Israeli military operations, tens of thousands of tents have been damaged by shelling or surrounding attacks, while others deteriorated from exposure to the elements.
With these tents now submerged, displaced Palestinians have no alternative shelter. During this period, Israel destroyed 90% of civilian infrastructure in Gaza, causing estimated losses of around $70 billion, and continues to block alternative housing, in violation of obligations under the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on October 10.
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