Bitter cold worsens the suffering of ethnic cleansed people in Gaza’s camps

According to medical sources, five individuals, including four children, have died due to extreme cold within the camps. These families were forced into these inadequate shelters after their homes were destroyed and they were displaced during the ongoing genocide that began on October 7, 2023.

𝐀 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

For the second consecutive year, displaced families are enduring the winter in tents made of fabric and plastic, which have deteriorated to the point of being unusable. Without proper heating, residents suffer from health issues such as joint pain, bone aches, and nosebleeds.

Ibrahim Al-Astal, a resident of one such camp, shared his struggles, saying that the harsh winds threaten to tear down their tents, while the biting cold ravages their bodies. “We can’t sleep because of the wind and cold. We have no blankets or winter clothes. The bombing destroyed everything we owned, leaving us in these tattered tents that neither shield us from the summer heat nor the winter cold,” he said.

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐥-𝐌𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐢

In Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis, hundreds of thousands of people are displaced, living in extremely harsh conditions. Their struggles include a lack of basic necessities such as food, warmth, and shelter.

In recent days, Gaza has faced a severe cold snap, with record-low temperatures prompting camp residents to refer to their tents as “death refrigerators.” According to the Meteorological Department, Gaza is expected to experience heavy rain starting Monday evening for two days, posing a real danger to these fragile camps.

The occasional strong winds frequently uproot the tents, leaving residents exposed to the winter weather with nothing to protect them. Children’s cries and the sighs of their parents resonate in the cold air as despair mounts.

𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐬

Early Saturday morning, dozens of tents were flooded due to torrential rains accompanying a new weather front. Residents reported that strong winds damaged their tents, with some blown away entirely.

Mothers and fathers, unable to provide warmth for their children, resort to burning paper and plastic for heat, despite knowing the health risks and the danger this poses to their fragile plastic shelters.

Additionally, flooding destroys what little belongings displaced families have, exacerbating their suffering. Since the genocide began on October 7, 2023, thousands of families have sought refuge in the sandy terrain of Al-Mawasi, an area stretching along the Mediterranean coast from central Deir Al-Balah to northern Rafah.

𝐀 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬

According to humanitarian organization Oxfam, hundreds of thousands of people have fled to this region over the months of violence. With insufficient access to water, food, and basic necessities, the displaced face extremely challenging living conditions. The Gaza Government Media Office (GMO) estimates that 2 million of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents are now displaced, living in inadequate camps.

The GMO stated that 81% of these displaced individuals are experiencing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with many at risk of death due to deteriorated tents and the extreme cold. Over 110,000 of the 135,000 tents in the camps are now unusable, leaving the majority of the displaced without adequate shelter.

𝐀 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The GMO has placed full responsibility for this humanitarian disaster on the Israeli occupation, citing ongoing war crimes, including the destruction of housing and forced displacement. It also blamed the U.S. and European countries, such as Britain, Germany, and France, for supporting the genocide.

The Office called on the international community to take immediate action to pressure Israel to halt its aggression, end the genocide, and provide support for affected families, including shelter, food, and medical aid.

Arab and Islamic nations, along with international humanitarian organizations, were urged to mobilize quickly to save the civilians in Gaza. The statement emphasized the need to uphold the dignity and humanity of the displaced while protecting their lives from the harsh winter conditions.

The GMO concluded by stressing that the global silence on this tragedy is a form of complicity in the injustice and prolongs an unacceptable humanitarian disaster. It called for a serious and immediate response from all parties worldwide to address their legal and moral responsibilities toward the Palestinian people.