Cold Weather Coming Soon to Devastated Gaza
HAVANA TIMES – Just weeks before winter, hundreds of thousands of families in the Gaza Strip—devastated by two years of war—are preparing for a season of cold and rain without adequate shelter or basic goods, according to a new report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Despite progress in expanding humanitarian aid in the Strip, the urgent needs of the 2.2 million inhabitants remain immense, and obstacles are not being removed quickly enough, the report says.
Since the ceasefire on October 10 and through November 3, UN agencies and their partners have received more than 37,000 tons of aid—mainly food—at Gaza’s border crossings, a figure that excludes bilateral donations and those from the commercial sector.
However, access remains limited to only two crossings in this 365-square-kilometer enclave on the eastern Mediterranean coast, with no direct access from Israel in the north or Egypt in the south. Certain items and NGO personnel are also restricted from entry.
Shelter response partners report that most of the 1.5 million displaced people remain in makeshift, overcrowded camps, many of which were spontaneously established in open or unsafe areas.
Hundreds of thousands of families now face the onset of the cold, rainy season without the protection they need against the elements.
In food assistance, there have been clear advances. The World Food Program (WFP) has provided support to over one million people through food distribution, hot meals, bakery assistance, fortified snacks for children, and digital cash aid.
The WFP distributes 1.2 million meals and 150,000 packages of bread daily. In addition, about 55,000 families have received $378 in cash assistance—a method that allows them to meet basic needs and reduce debt.
Local food production remains a challenge due to damage to 87% of farmland and soil contamination with war debris. Most of the remaining 13% is inaccessible because it lies in areas still occupied by Israeli forces.
Between 79% and 89% of greenhouse areas, agricultural wells, and farming infrastructure—including olive groves—have been destroyed or damaged.
Regarding water and sanitation, more than 85% of water facilities have been damaged, and not a single wastewater treatment plant is functioning. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that obstacles to bringing in spare parts, generators, and vehicles have hindered repairs.
UNRWA distributes 1,400 cubic meters of water daily in Gaza City and the northern Strip, but it warned that this service “is becoming unsustainable.”
In the health sector, vaccination coverage has dropped from 98% before the war to less than 70%, following the destruction of 31 centers. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have launched a campaign to immunize 44,000 children with essential vaccines.
The war in Gaza—marked by relentless bombardment that destroyed much of what had been built over decades—left 61 million tons of rubble, making reconstruction extremely difficult.
The UN Environment Program (UNEP) reported that managing hazardous waste requires heavy machinery and fuel, both still restricted from entry. Without these resources, cleanup and the installation of temporary shelters are progressing very slowly.
According to OCHA, the economic and social impact is devastating. Thousands of families have lost their main source of income, and although access to food has slightly improved, one in five families still eats only once a day.
The war in Gaza, halted last month, began on October 7, 2023, when the Islamist militia Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing more than 1,100 people and taking 251 hostages.
Israel’s large-scale military response has thus far killed more than 68,000 Palestinians, wounded about 170,000, left thousands missing, displaced 1.9 million Gazans from their homes, and destroyed nearly two-thirds of housing and most service infrastructure.
The confrontation temporarily ended after two years of war, when both sides accepted a ceasefire proposal presented by US President Donald Trump—though several dozen Palestinians have since been killed by Israeli fire amid the fragile truce.
First published in Spanish by IPS and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.