Gazans Brace for a Harsh Winter Amid Ongoing Displacement and Scarcity

Thu Dec 04 2025 05:49:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Displaced Palestinians face the compounded challenges of severe weather, food shortages, and deteriorating living conditions as winter arrives in Gaza.

As winter sets in, tens of thousands of displaced Gazans are grappling with life on the beaches, battling the cold, hunger, and illness in makeshift tents. The humanitarian crisis deepens as aid distribution falters and lawlessness hampers relief efforts.

The once-bustling beaches of Gaza have transformed into makeshift living spaces for tens of thousands of Palestinians forced from their homes by the ongoing conflict. Among them is Mohammed al-Halabi, who describes the grim reality: “Nothing is left in the tent: not mattresses, bedding, bread, everything was taken. The sea took it.” With temperatures dropping, the vulnerable displaced population faces a new threat from the winter weather.

The United Nations reports that almost the entire population of 2.3 million in Gaza is now displaced, with over 90% of those in shelters living in tents, exposing them to harsh elements. Residents like Shaima Issa from Khan Younis express their desperation, stating that her children suffer from illnesses due to the extreme cold. “I go to the ends of the earth just to feed my children,” lamented a neighbor in a similar predicament.

As rain pours heavily, tents become waterlogged without waterproof coverings, leaving families like Salwa Abu Nimer's with nowhere to turn. “When it rains on us, we’re drenched,” she cries. This stark reality is compounded by looming shortages of medicine, food, and fuel, with UN officials dubbing conditions in Gaza as “catastrophic.”

In the central and southern regions of Gaza, long lines form outside bakeries as desperate citizens await scarce food supplies. Hanan al-Shamali’s plea for a loaf of bread underscores the struggles faced by many: “Sometimes I get it, but most of the time, I don’t.” With aid entering Gaza at the lowest levels of the year, the humanitarian situation worsens.

At the Kerem Shalom crossing, humanitarian aid is being funneled in, but distribution issues have stymied efforts. Israel maintains that the backlog stems from distribution failures within aid agencies, yet many inside Gaza contend that armed gangs are robbing supplies, intensifying the chaos.

Antoine Renard from the UN’s World Food Programme laments, “The levels of hunger, devastation, and destruction we are seeing now in Gaza is worse than ever before.” As the cold months unfold, the grim prospects for Gazans continue to darken, revealing an ongoing struggle for survival in an increasingly dire crisis.