More than half a million children in Gaza are enduring their fourth consecutive winter in torn tents and makeshift shelters. Save the Children issued this warning on Sunday after a powerful storm struck the territory.
The storm hit on Friday evening. It flooded upwards of 70,000 tents and caused dozens of war-damaged walls to collapse, according to figures from the Government Media Office.
Tragedy struck late Sunday in Deir al-Balah when a sand embankment collapsed onto tents housing displaced families. Gaza’s Civil Defense confirmed that two women and three children died in the incident.
Data from a recent assessment by the Palestine Shelter Cluster shows that roughly 58 percent of the population in Gaza currently lives in critical or catastrophic shelter conditions. This total includes 1.2 million people, among them more than 560,000 children.
Save the Children stated that a previously announced ceasefire agreement stipulated the entry of caravans to provide durable housing. However, Israeli authorities have repeatedly blocked these caravans from entering the enclave.
Nearly half of the families surveyed by the Shelter Cluster reported burning plastic, tyres, garbage, or cardboard to cook meals. Also, 84 percent of respondents stated they possess no effective means to heat their shelters against the cold.
The human rights organisation warned that toxic fumes from burning these materials cause serious health issues. These hazards include respiratory illnesses, smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, and severe burns.
Israeli government restrictions continue to block the arrival of other essential winter items. Blocked goods include tents, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, insulation materials, blankets, fuel, cooking gas, heating equipment, and construction supplies needed for repairs.
Last year, 11 children reportedly died from hypothermia inside the strip. Save the Children cautioned that current conditions remain deadly and life-threatening for minors.
Ahmad Alhendawi, regional director at Save the Children International, said children shivered in the bitter cold while families lost their remaining belongings. He described the situation as heartbreaking and entirely foreseeable.
Alhendawi stated that shelter kits, tents, and fuel remain stranded at Gaza borders while children sleep in floodwater due to Israeli restrictions. The failed ceasefire has ultimately left Palestinian children unprotected.
