At least five Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip after a powerful winter storm caused damaged buildings and walls to collapse on makeshift shelters, local health officials said, highlighting the dire humanitarian conditions prevailing amid prolonged conflict and aid shortages.
Storm exposes fragile living conditions
Health authorities said those killed during Tuesday’s storm included two women, a girl and a man. Their bodies were received at al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza. Several other children and elderly people were reported to have died due to extreme cold and exposure.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that a one-year-old boy died overnight from hypothermia. Media reports said two more children died on Monday night due to freezing conditions and lack of adequate shelter.
Walls collapse on tents
Among the dead were three members of the same family — a 72-year-old man, his 15-year-old granddaughter and his daughter-in-law — who were killed when an eight-metre-high wall collapsed onto their tent along the Mediterranean coast of Gaza City. At least five others were injured in the incident.
A second woman was also killed when another wall fell on her tent in western Gaza City, hospital officials said.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that hundreds of tents and temporary shelters were blown away or severely damaged by strong winds.
Aid gaps amid ceasefire
Although a ceasefire has been in place since October 10, aid groups say shelter materials entering Gaza remain insufficient. Most residents are living in tents after large-scale destruction caused by Israeli military operations.
Civil defence officials warned people against taking refuge in damaged buildings due to the risk of collapse. Hospitals across Gaza have also reported a surge in patients, particularly children, suffering from cold-related illnesses.
Hamas and humanitarian organisations criticised the international community, saying the ongoing restrictions on aid had worsened what they described as a man-made humanitarian catastrophe.