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Winter Hardships Hit Displaced Families in Gaza
As temperatures drop across the Gaza Strip, displaced families living in makeshift shelters and tents are struggling to protect their children from the severe cold. Many households lack adequate winter clothing, heating equipment, and blankets, leaving children to face freezing conditions in thin summer clothes.
Amira Saad, a 27-year-old displaced from Gaza City’s Shujayea neighbourhood, shares a tarp shelter with 18 family members, including nine children. With her husband unemployed after breaking his hand while searching for rubble to clear, the family relies on community kitchens for food and has no spare money for winter items. Recent heavy rain flooded their shelter, soaking their mattresses, pillows, and blankets.
“We were flooded while we were sleeping. The water came inside and soaked our blankets, mattresses and pillows. Everything was wet,” Amira said. Her mother-in-law, Basima Saad, expressed deep concern for her 23-year-old disabled daughter, whose hands become ice cold at night.
Similar struggles are echoed by Amal al-Maydana, who is raising her children alone in a tent after losing her husband and eldest son during the war. Having been displaced six times, her younger daughters continue to wear summer clothes as the cost of winter garments remains out of reach.
The Growing Threat of Hypothermia and Rain
The risks posed by the extreme cold are severe. Recently, a nine-month-old baby named Kinan Ahmed Raqiq died of hypothermia after his father woke up to find the infant's skin had turned blue. Humanitarian agencies have warned that winter conditions significantly increase the risk of hypothermia and respiratory infections among children.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 94 percent of Gaza’s population urgently requires shelter assistance, with 65 percent living in tents or makeshift shelters. OCHA noted that approximately 650,000 children need winter aid, but funding shortages and supply constraints have severely limited the distribution of warm clothing and bedding.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that recent flooding has affected more than 106,000 people, leaving roughly 950,000 displaced Palestinians in flood-prone areas. Last winter, at least 11 children died from hypothermia, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Soaring Prices and Lack of Income
In local markets, high prices make winter essentials unaffordable for many residents. Mohammed Abu Shanar, a shop owner in Gaza City’s Rimal market, explained that customers frequently inquire about winter tracksuits but leave without purchasing due to high costs. He attributed the inflated prices to a severe shortage of incoming goods and high wholesale expenses resulting from ongoing restrictions.
For Anas Hamad, a displaced father from Beit Hanoun whose family business and home were destroyed, purchasing new winter clothes is impossible. With no regular income, he relies on hand-me-downs and second-hand items.
“I have to choose between buying food for my children, getting them warm clothes and blankets, or buying tarpaulins to protect our tent from the coming rain,” Anas said. “I don’t know what to prioritise or what to leave behind.”
Source: ‘Her hands are as cold as ice’: Gaza families struggle to keep warm