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Winter expected to worsen humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip

Politiko 2024-12-18 15:16:26

Winter expected to worsen humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip

As talks to release hostages and reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip resume, winter is set to make life difficult for two million Palestinians. Displaced residents in southern Gaza are worried about the consequences of the drop in temperatures.

Like many other Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the Abu Maryam family lives in a tent in al-Mawasi, an Israeli-designated safe zone in southern Gaza.

Etimad, her husband Aref and their two grown children fled their home in northern Gaza and have been displaced five times since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas last year.

They are worried about the difficulties that winter will bring.

"The arrival of winter and the rains is scary. We live in tents, which cannot withstand the rain."

Etimad Abu Meryam says basic hygiene is almost impossible in tented shelter camps.

"There is no cleanliness. I try to organize and clean all day, but it is very difficult. Insects and rats have spread here, which are damaging clothes, bedding and food."

Maryam's husband says that rain was once seen as a blessing for Gazans, especially farmers. But now, he says, it is a curse.

"In the past we used to pray for rain and thank God when it rained. But now we pray that it doesn't rain, because we live under a plastic tent. Everything has turned against us. Even agricultural land is now being used to put up our tents," he says.

Winter is coming as Gaza's humanitarian crisis worsens.

The health care system is struggling and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees says there is not enough food for the population of more than 2 million, especially those in northern Gaza.

"There is a real risk as we are entering winter again. People's immune systems are much weaker in winter. We are entering a situation where hunger or malnutrition, unfortunately, could again be problems for the displaced. This could have been avoided," says Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees.

Israel recently severed ties with the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, accusing some of its employees of participating in the October 7 attack on Israel.

The Israeli military says it allows sufficient amounts of international aid into the Gaza Strip through its checkpoints and that the problem lies in its distribution within Gaza.

"Today we have more than 800 trucks waiting for the international community to send them inside Gaza," says Abdullah Halabi, an Israeli military official for humanitarian aid.

For the Abu Maryam family, it doesn't really matter who is responsible for the lack of help.

They are facing another cold and rainy winter in a tent, not knowing when they will be able to return to their home. /VOA

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