RAMALLAH, January 13, 2026 (WAFA) – The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is extremely critical amidst the current weather depression, accompanied by heavy rainfall and strong winds, and the absence of basic protection inside tents. The lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced people is exposed to danger, particularly children, the elderly, and the sick. Two children have died due to severe cold, bringing the total number of child fatalities to six since the start of winter, according to the Ministry of Health.
The Government Operations Room affirms that the death of children due to severe cold is the result of the international community’s failure to uphold its legal responsibilities, in light of the Israeli occupation’s intransigence and its refusal to allow the entry of prefabricated housing units and reconstruction materials, despite repeated warnings about the dangers of relying on tents that provide no protection from extreme cold.
Amidst the widespread destruction caused by the Israeli aggression, which has damaged approximately 355,000 housing units to varying degrees, either partially or completely, thousands of residents are forced to live in partially destroyed homes that pose a direct threat to their lives, particularly children and the elderly. The current weather depression has so far resulted in four fatalities due to partial collapses of war-damaged residential buildings in several areas of the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of tents have been flooded by rainwater, while others were uprooted by strong winds, further worsening the suffering of displaced families and leaving entire households—including children, infants, and the elderly—without any protection from cold or rain.
Sewage networks have overflowed, with wastewater leaking into displacement camps, exacerbating health and environmental risks and raising concerns about the spread of disease amid overcrowding and the absence of basic public health conditions.
National and international institutions are unable to meet the immense humanitarian needs due to severe resource shortages and the continued restrictions imposed by the occupation on the entry of shelter supplies, further increasing risks to the most vulnerable groups.
The acute fuel shortage has intensified the crisis, hindering the operation of heavy machinery needed to open roads, remove rubble, and reach affected areas, and delaying rescue and it is relief operations, particularly for children and the elderly.
The Operations Room warns of severe consequences in the coming hours as the weather depression continues, with the likelihood of additional casualties—especially among children and the elderly—due to extreme cold, further building collapses, or the flooding of tents.
The Government Operations Room renews its urgent call to the international community and the United Nations to exert pressure on the Israeli occupation to allow the entry of prefabricated housing units, shelter supplies, and reconstruction materials, as the only urgent humanitarian solution capable of protecting the lives of displaced people.
K.T
