KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Over the weekend, heavy winter rain hit the Gaza Strip, inundating camps where Palestinians displaced by two years of conflict struggled to keep dry in deteriorating tents. The situation was particularly dire in the southern city of Khan Younis, where blankets were soaked, and makeshift clay ovens were submerged. Children waded through ankle-deep puddles, while displaced individuals used shovels and tin cans in a desperate attempt to remove water from their shelters.
Majdoleen Tarabein, who was displaced from Rafah, expressed her despair: “Puddles formed, and there was a bad smell. The tent flew away. We don’t know what to do or where to go.” Family members, including Eman Abu Riziq, another displaced individual, recounted the devastation, highlighting that their mattresses were entirely soaked after water flooded their tent overnight. Abu Riziq also shared her grief, mentioning she was still recovering from her husband's death less than two weeks ago.
Concerns regarding safety are acute, with at least 12 deaths attributable to hypothermia or weather-related collapses of war-damaged homes since December 13, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry. Emergency workers have cautioned residents against dwelling in damaged structures, yet many have no alternative due to widespread destruction; an estimated 80% of buildings in Gaza have been either destroyed or damaged according to a United Nations assessment from July 2023.
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on October 10, a total of 414 people have been killed, and 1,142 have been wounded in Gaza. The overall Palestinian death toll from the ongoing war is reported to exceed 71,266. The Health Ministry's figures, which do not distinguish between militants and civilians, are generally accepted as reliable worldwide. This conflict ignited after a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages taken in southern Israel.
Aid Groups Call for More Assistance
Humanitarian deliveries into Gaza have significantly fallen short of the amount needed under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, according to aid organizations and an analysis by the Associated Press. The Israeli military spokesperson in charge of humanitarian aid indicated that around 4,200 trucks carrying aid, including tents and winter clothing, have entered Gaza recently. However, numerous aid groups have voiced that the actual need far exceeds these figures.
Data from the Shelter Cluster, an international coalition led by the Norwegian Refugee Council, reveals that approximately 72,000 tents and 403,000 tarps have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began. Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the U.N. agency overseeing aid in Gaza, emphasized the dire living conditions, stating: “People in Gaza are surviving in flimsy, waterlogged tents and among ruins. There is nothing inevitable about this. Aid supplies are not being allowed in at the scale required.”
Challenges in Moving Forward
While the ceasefire agreement has primarily held, progress appears to have stalled. Israel has expressed reluctance to advance to the next phase as long as the remains of the last hostages are still in Gaza. Conversely, Hamas contends that the extensive destruction has complicated efforts to locate these remains. The road ahead includes deploying an international stabilization force, establishing a technocratic governing body for Gaza, disarming the Hamas militant group, and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the area.
Both parties involved in the conflict, Israel and Hamas, have accused one another of violating the truce, complicating the situation further.
