GAZA, February 7, 2025 (WAFA) – Thousands of Palestinian residents in Gaza were forced to endure a brutally cold night as fierce storms tore through the Strip, destroying the already fragile tents that many call home.
With the arrival of daylight, those affected scrambled to salvage what remained of their shelters, attempting to repair them amid the ongoing crisis.
For the third consecutive day, a strong low front, accompanied by intense storms and heavy rainfall, continues to ravage Palestine, including Gaza, according to meteorological reports.
These makeshift tents, some barely standing, are the last remaining refuge for countless families who lost their homes following 15 months of Israeli attacks, which have left them with no alternative shelter.
Residents described the night as "the hardest and most difficult" they've ever experienced, recounting how the strength of the storms made their already dire circumstances even worse. “The mind cannot fathom the hardships we faced,” said one local.
Despite their tents being flooded, torn and scattered by the winds, those who lost their homes and the last of their means of shelter remain defiant, renewing their rejection of U.S. calls to seize Gaza and forcibly displace them. "The Palestinians are like fish, and Gaza is their sea. If they leave, they die. They will remain steadfast on their land, despite the displacement and suffering," one resident told Anadolu Agency.
The ongoing storm has exacerbated the already grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where displaced people are living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters, grappling with severe shortages of basic resources and daily necessities.
Over months of relentless bombardment, residents have sought refuge in schools, health centers, stadiums and makeshift tents after Israeli forces destroyed entire neighborhoods and homes. According to reports, Israeli forces have destroyed nearly 88% of Gaza's infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, schools and vital services.
Between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, Israeli forces conducted a devastating campaign in Gaza, causing over 159,000 casualties, the majority of whom were women and children, and leaving more than 14,000 people unaccounted for.
T.R.
