Gaza: With the approach of the rainy season coupled with dramatic drops in temperature, over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are enduring a chilling winter after being forcibly displaced due to the ongoing Israeli offensive for the second consecutive year.
According to Qatar News Agency, official statements in Gaza reveal that most Gazans have been displaced multiple times, with the majority now residing in camps located in the central and southern parts of the Strip. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that between 65,000 to 75,000 people are living in northern Gaza, while the population in Gaza City ranges from 340,000 to 370,000.
Approximately 750,000 residents are in the central governorate, with 915,800 in Khan Younis and 44,200 remaining in Rafah. However, the Israeli occupation forces have restricted access to the displaced persons’ camps, leaving nearly 100,000 people in these camps vulnerable to the harsh cold, as per statements from th
e government media office in Gaza.
The destruction of homes and infrastructure has exacerbated living conditions for Gazans during the winter, following the extensive devastation of 86% of Gaza’s territory by Israeli forces. The occupation forces have demolished 159,000 residential structures, displacing residents and forcing them into shelter centers that are already strained due to a scorching summer and the impending winter cold.
Statistics from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Gaza indicate that 83,000 residential structures have been rendered uninhabitable, along with 193,000 residential blocks partially destroyed. Additionally, the unions of Gaza municipalities have warned of a severe winter for Palestinians due to the destruction of infrastructure meant for storm water drainage.
The Israeli occupation army has destroyed 330,000 linear meters of water networks and 655,000 meters of sewage networks, according to data from the municipalities’ union, along with over 2.83 million linear meters
of road and street networks.