Displaced Palestinians in Gaza struggle with cold and rain amid ongoing crisis

Palestinians displaced from northern Gaza by Israeli forces are now battling heavy rains and cold weather, worsening their already desperate living conditions. With attacks intensifying in Gaza’s northern areas and a complete blockade imposed on border crossings, the humanitarian crisis in the region deepens daily.

Entering a second winter under Israeli attacks, northern Gaza residents face increasingly harsh conditions. Among them, hundreds of families from Beit Lahiya who fled to Gaza City are living in makeshift tents on barren land, exposed to both hunger and freezing temperatures.

Due to limited fuel supplies, residents struggle to heat their shelters, which offer little protection against the elements. The tents, worn down by sun and wind, fail to keep out even light rain, leaving families vulnerable to the cold.

With Gaza’s health system on the verge of collapse and hospitals frequently targeted, the elderly, women, children, and injured face severe hardships.

‘We are exhausted and forgotten’: Stories from Gaza’s displaced

Imad Subh, who fled Beit Lahiya with his family weeks ago, shared his ordeal with Anadolu Agency. Injured during Israeli strikes, Subh now resides in a fragile tent in Gaza City.

“We are utterly devastated. The cold has drained us, and we desperately need proper tents or camps suited for winter,” he said. “The situation is unbearable. We’ve lost hope in life; we are simply exhausted.”

Subh described how Israeli forces prevented them from taking any belongings during their displacement, leaving them without even basic necessities. “We have no food, no water, and no medicines. We don’t even have enough clothes to stay warm.”

He also lamented the loss of his loved ones and the imprisonment of his son in Israeli jails: “Look at our situation and end this war. We’re tired of the bloodshed. We are abandoned, left to suffer.”

Mother’s desperate plea

Menal Abu Rabi, another displaced Palestinian from Beit Lahiya, faces even harsher conditions. Forced to flee during a stormy, freezing night, she now seeks shelter with her children on the streets of western Gaza City.

“We were driven out of the schools we had taken refuge in—at gunpoint,” she said. “No one cares about us. We have no food, no water, no blankets, no mattresses. We sleep on the ground with nothing.”

Abu Rabi described how cold and rain have made survival nearly impossible. “I have no shelter, no tent, and my children and I are left exposed to the elements. We are trying to survive on the side of the street, stripped of even the most basic needs.”

Humanitarian crisis deepens as Gaza enters another harsh winter

The dire conditions in Gaza reflect a broader collapse of essential services under Israeli bombardment and blockade. With families struggling to stay warm and dry in flimsy shelters, urgent humanitarian aid is needed to prevent further loss of life.

While the displaced continue to call for support, their voices echo unanswered in a region gripped by war and suffering.