Feature: Displaced Palestinians fear harsh winter amid shortage of tents

GAZA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) — Om Fadi Awad, a displaced Palestinian from Deir al-Balah, is increasingly worried about the tent she constructed three months ago in a crowded camp in central Gaza.
“I built this tent after the Israeli army forced us to flee Rafah without taking any personal belongings,” said the 55-year-old mother of seven.
Using tattered cloth and remnants of nylon tarps obtained from aid trucks, Om Fadi’s makeshift shelter is barely holding together. “Because of the war, we are forced to live in mobile tents, stripped of our basic rights. We live in constant fear of the ongoing Israeli bombardment, unsure if we will survive,” she lamented.
Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza in response to a Hamas incursion on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and around 250 people taken hostage. Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll in the besieged enclave has risen to 41,495, according to the latest figures from Gaza health authorities.
The conflict has led to severe shortages of food, medicine, and other humanitarian necessities, prompting international organizations to issue warnings about the dire conditions in Gaza. Recent rainfall has flooded streets in displacement camps, uprooting tents and leaving residents exposed to the elements.
“If international organizations cannot provide us with tents, we face a harsh winter that could lead to the deaths of refugees due to the cold and lack of shelter,” Om Fadi said.
Jihan Ziyara, another displaced Palestinian in Deir al-Balah, shared similar fears. Living with her seven-member family in a tent barely 14 square meters in size, she recalled a time when winter brought joy.
“Now we pray that winter doesn’t come and that rain doesn’t fall, as we have no means to protect ourselves from drowning in floodwaters,” the 45-year-old said.
These women are among over 1.7 million people in Gaza forced to live in temporary tents, according to social development authorities, who warn that thousands of children, the elderly, and the sick could die from the cold and lack of heating during the upcoming winter. “Every moment increases the suffering of the people of Gaza and puts their lives at risk,” the authorities stated. ■