As winter approaches, hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Gaza face worsening risks from cold, heavy rain and flooding. Many camps are deteriorating, tents have worn out, and available shelter supplies remain far below what is needed.
Ismail al-Thawabta, director-general of Gaza’s government media office, warned that the situation could become catastrophic without urgent action. He said field teams surveyed displacement camps and found that 162,000 of the 270,000 tents sheltering displaced families across the Gaza Strip were completely unusable.
Most surveyed tents offer little protection
The figures mean more than six in every ten tents surveyed can no longer provide even basic protection. They are not fit to withstand strong winds, rain or cold, leaving displaced residents exposed as the weather changes.
Children, women, people who are ill and other displaced people face particular risks from direct exposure to harsh conditions. Humanitarian organisations are preparing for winter, but the supplies available on the ground remain insufficient for the scale of need.
Calls for urgent shelter assistance
Palestinian and international appeals have called for tents and other essential supplies to reach Gaza before the weather worsens. The warning underscores the urgency of repairing or replacing damaged shelters and delivering materials that can help families withstand winter conditions.
