Gaza Families Struggle to Keep Warm in Frigid Winter Conditions

Gaza Families Struggle to Keep Children Warm as Winter Approaches

A family of 20, including nine children, is living in a makeshift shelter in Gaza City. The shelter, which provides little protection from the elements, has been flooded recently due to heavy rain. Amira Saad, 27, and her family have been displaced from their home in Shujayea neighbourhood earlier this year.

The family relies on community kitchens for food and is unable to afford winter clothing and blankets. Amira’s four-month-old baby, Mohammed, mostly wears thin summer clothes, and she has borrowed a warm garment from a neighbour to keep him warm at night. The family’s living conditions are becoming increasingly difficult due to the lack of warm clothing and blankets.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that 94% of Gaza’s population urgently needs shelter assistance, with 65% of households living in tents or makeshift shelters. OCHA states that funding shortages have hampered preparations for winter, leaving many families without adequate warmth and protection.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that winter conditions put children in Gaza at increased risk of hypothermia and respiratory infections. In recent years, several children have died from hypothermia due to the lack of warm clothing and blankets. The family is among those who are struggling to cope with the cold weather.

The situation is dire for many families in Gaza, particularly those living in makeshift shelters. With no regular income, the family relies on community kitchens for food, making it difficult to afford winter clothing and blankets. The danger to the Palestinians living in these conditions is very real, and the lack of adequate warmth and protection poses a significant risk to their health and well-being.

Source: Al Jazeera