At a Glance
- Barefoot children play in Deir al-Balah as displaced families set up tents for winter rain.
- Families have lived in tents for up to two years, facing frequent collapses and shortages.
- Gaza’s Health Ministry reports dozens of deaths from hypothermia and collapsed homes, with 71,266 Palestinians killed and 171,219 wounded since the war began.
- Why it matters: The ongoing humanitarian crisis highlights dire living conditions amid a stalled ceasefire and escalating military actions.
In Deir al-Balah, Gaza, displaced families endure tents while the Gaza Health Ministry reports 71,266 deaths. The stalled ceasefire and raids worsen the crisis.
Living in Tents Amid Winter Rain
Fathers patch fraying tarps with old wood, while mothers struggle to dry clothes between downpours that turn streets into puddles. Shaima Wadi, a mother of four displaced from Jabaliya, says her tent collapses every rain, forcing them to rebuild with scarce resources.
**Shaima Wadi stated:
> “We have been living in this tent for two years. Every time it rains and the tent collapses over our heads, we try to put up new pieces of wood. With how expensive everything has become, and without any income, we can barely afford clothes for our children or mattresses for them to sleep on.”
Ahmad Wadi collects nylon, cardboard and plastic from the streets to keep his family warm, burning or layering them as makeshift blankets. He laments the lack of proper covers, the freezing humidity and the constant seepage of water.
Health Ministry Reports and Humanitarian Appeals
The Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, reports dozens of deaths from hypothermia and collapsed war-damaged homes. Aid organisations are calling for more shelters and humanitarian aid to enter the territory.
Emergency workers warn people not to stay in damaged buildings, but rubble has left few safe places to escape the rain. The scarcity of shelters compounds the risk of cold-related injuries.
Ceasefire Stalemate and Military Operations
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington to discuss the second stage of the ceasefire that began on Oct. 10. Progress has slowed, with the final hostage still in Gaza and several key challenges:
- Deployment of an international stabilization force
- Establishment of a technocratic governing body for Gaza
- Disarmament of Hamas
- Further Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza
Both sides have accused each other of truce violations. The Gaza Health Ministry says that since the ceasefire, 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded.
During the same period, 679 bodies were pulled from rubble, and the ministry reported 29 bodies, including 25 recovered from under rubble, were brought to local hospitals in the past 48 hours. The overall Palestinian death toll from the war has risen to at least 71,266, with another 171,219** wounded.
West Bank Operation
Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz announced a continued military operation in Qabatiya, a town in the occupied West Bank, a day after a Palestinian attacker rammed a car into a man and stabbed a young woman in northern Israel. The army surrounded the town and operated “forcefully”, while the attacker was shot and injured in Afula and taken to a hospital.
Israel routinely raids towns where attackers come from or demolishes homes belonging to assailants’ families, claiming it helps locate militant infrastructure and prevent future attacks. Rights watchdogs label such actions as collective punishment.
News Of Austin video shows bulldozers entering Qabatiya and soldiers patrolling. Resident Bilal Hanash said a strict curfew was announced, with roads closed by dirt barriers, effectively punishing about 30,000 people.
Key Takeaways
- Displaced families in Gaza live in tents for years, facing frequent collapses and severe shortages.
- The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 71,000 deaths and 171,000 wounded since the war began.
- The stalled ceasefire and ongoing West Bank raids deepen the humanitarian crisis.
The crisis underscores the urgent need for humanitarian aid and a durable resolution to the conflict.
