Shafaqna English- As the Gaza Strip prepares for the winter of 2025–2026, aid agencies are warning that conditions could become catastrophic.
Nearly the entire population of Gaza has been displaced. Many residents are now living in makeshift tents set up along sidewalks, near garbage dumps, or beside open sewage channels, while thousands more are sleeping in public squares without any shelter.
The looming cold season amplifies the suffering. Displacement sites lack food, winter clothing, blankets, or heating, while overcrowding and collapsing sanitation systems leave families exposed to disease and harsh weather.
“We were displaced four times in five months and ended up pitching a tent on the pavement,” Umm Mohammed, a mother from northern Gaza told Shafaq News. “There is no food, no clothes, no essentials.”
Past winters foreshadow the dangers ahead. In 2024–2025, storms destroyed thousands of tents and flooded camps, forcing families to burn scraps of wood or plastic for warmth, often inhaling toxic smoke. Humanitarian groups attempted to distribute winter kits—blankets, thermal clothing, waterproofing materials—but their reach fell far short of the need.
Aid workers anticipate similar shortages this year, with limited access, lack of fuel, and scarce funding due to the Israeli blockade of all crossings obstructing relief.
Sources: Shafaq News