DaysofPal- As winter sets in Gaza, bringing freezing temperatures and heavy rains, the plight of thousands of war-wounded residents is worsening, highlighting the acute humanitarian crisis in the aftermath of the recent conflict.
With a nearly collapsed healthcare system and severe shortages of medical supplies, injured civilians face life-threatening conditions while struggling to recover.
For 21-year-old Mohammed Bilal, who was shot in the lower back six months ago while attempting to obtain food for his family, winter has intensified his suffering.
Living in a dilapidated tent in the Khan Younis area, Bilal tells Palestine Online that the cold and harsh conditions, coupled with limited pain relief, have left him unable to sleep and in constant agony.
“The cold, living inside a worn-out tent, and the difficult conditions in Khan Younis all make my pain much worse than before winter arrived,” he said.
Shortages of necessary medications mean that even the limited painkillers he receives provide little relief.
Similarly, 45-year-old Abdul Latif Al-Arqan, who suffers from fractures in both arms, has been waiting for over a year to travel outside Gaza for treatment.
He told Palestine Online that recovery has been significantly delayed due to winter conditions, compounded by life inside a tent with insufficient resources and ongoing restrictions on medical supplies imposed by the Israeli occupation.
Dr. Maher Shamia, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, described the situation as “extremely dire,” warning that winter significantly exacerbates the suffering of Gaza’s wounded.
“Under normal circumstances, winter affects the injured, but under Gaza’s current conditions, the suffering is far worse, with multiple compounding factors,” Shamia said.
He highlighted that most injured individuals live in tents, unable to shield themselves from freezing temperatures, with rainwater seeping in and mixing with sewage, further worsening their conditions.
“Contaminated water often causes serious infections, creating complications that impede healing and recovery,” he explained.
Shamia also noted that some functioning hospitals in Gaza have been affected by heavy rains, causing water to leak into wards and medical points, worsening the situation for patients.
“We were shocked to find contaminated water flooding sections of Al-Shifa Hospital and other medical facilities.” She added.
The first victims of this are the injured, while the occupation prevents the entry of materials needed to repair these areas, even minimally, to prevent flooding,” he said.
As winter deepens, calls for opening the Rafah crossing to allow the injured to access treatment outside Gaza are growing, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian intervention to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the ongoing suffering of war victims.
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