Heavy rains over the past week have compounded the already dire living conditions of the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies say.
Unicef spokesman Jonathan Crickx told the BBC that the weather overnight had been horrendous, with the rain so intense that he had seen up to 15cm (6in) of water on the ground near his office. He said he was extremely concerned that children living in tents and makeshift shelters in wet clothing would succumb to hypothermia and other illnesses.
Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has reported the death of one baby from hypothermia and at least 11 others due to building collapses attributed to the severe weather. UN agencies have increased deliveries of essential supplies since the ceasefire began nine weeks ago, yet they assert that the amount of aid coming in remains inadequate.
Almost 55,000 families have been affected by the rains as their shelters and belongings were destroyed. More than 40 emergency shelters were severely flooded, forcing many to relocate again.
Crickx expressed alarm over the situation, noting the challenges faced by families trying to dry their belongings amid persistent rain and low temperatures, which raises the risk for children already vulnerable due to displacement.
In the face of such adversity, humanitarian organizations like Unicef are striving to deliver winter clothing and blankets but acknowledge that the scale of needs continues to far exceed the available resources.
As the international community monitors the ongoing situation, calls for increased aid and intervention persist, emphasizing the urgent need for rebuilding homes rather than ongoing displacement and suffering.
