DaysofPal- A new weather depression bringing heavy rain and strong winds has intensified the suffering of displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, injuring a child and destroying dozens of makeshift shelters as families struggle to survive amid severe winter conditions and ongoing shortages.
Local sources reported that a child from the Al-Radhi family was injured in the northern city of Beit Lahia after a wall collapsed on him due to powerful winds sweeping the area.
The incident came as Gaza has been affected since Friday morning by a fast-moving low-pressure system accompanied by heavy rainfall and strong gusts.
The worsening weather has had a particularly devastating impact on displaced families sheltering in tents in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Strong winds and torrential rain uprooted and flooded dozens of tents, leaving families exposed and without adequate shelter, further compounding an already dire humanitarian situation.
Meteorologist Laith Al-Allami said the Palestinian territories, including Gaza, are currently experiencing a rapid weather depression bringing rain and winds reaching speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.
He warned of rising sea waves along coastal areas, posing additional dangers to displacement camps set up near the shoreline.
Al-Allami said the current weather system is expected to subside by Friday evening, but cautioned that forecasts indicate a high likelihood of a stronger, polar-origin low-pressure system affecting the region from Monday through Wednesday.
He warned that the anticipated storm could bring heavier and more sustained rainfall, strong winds, and sharply colder temperatures, increasing the risk of flooding, water accumulation, and the collapse of fragile shelters.
The renewed storm warnings have raised fears of a repeat of late December, when hundreds of tents sheltering displaced families along the coast of Khan Younis were submerged after sea surges driven by a similar weather system.
Humanitarian concerns are growing amid widespread destruction and continued restrictions on the entry of adequate shelters and mobile homes under the ceasefire agreement.
Gaza continues to face acute shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and proper housing materials, leaving thousands of families living in thin nylon and fabric tents that offer little protection from rain, wind, or cold.
Many displaced residents are also sheltering in streets, sports fields, public squares, and schools without heating, while fuel shortages have left families unable to keep warm as nighttime temperatures drop.
With most buildings destroyed and construction materials barred from entry, some families have taken refuge in damaged and unstable structures despite the risk of collapse.
In this context, a report by the British newspaper The Guardian revealed that thousands of tents delivered to Gaza from China, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia fail to meet basic safety standards and provide insufficient protection from harsh weather.
UN estimates indicate that recent storms have damaged or destroyed thousands of tents, affecting at least 235,000 displaced Palestinians.
Humanitarian groups have also warned that new Israeli laws imposing stricter registration requirements on NGOs could further restrict aid operations.
Relief workers say additional limits on the entry of heavy machinery, construction materials, and sandbags, citing security concerns, have hindered flood-prevention efforts and heightened risks to civilian lives.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli occupation forces have committed approximately 969 ceasefire violations since October 10, resulting in the deaths of more than 425 Palestinians.
Since the start of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed and at least 171,000 injured, the majority of them women and children.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=71173
