A severe winter storm has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, resulting in at least 16 fatalities within a 24-hour period. Storm Byron brought torrential rains and plunging temperatures to the war-ravaged territory, with nighttime temperatures dropping to approximately 8°C (46°F), creating life-threatening conditions for displaced populations.
The Gaza civil defence agency, operating under Hamas authority, reported multiple tragic incidents across the territory. Three children were confirmed dead from exposure to the extreme cold, including nine-year-old Hadeel al-Masri and several-month-old Taim al-Khawaja in Gaza City, and eight-month-old Rahaf Abu Jazar in Khan Yunis. Structural collapses claimed additional lives, with six fatalities occurring when a house collapsed in Bir al-Naja and two more recovered from rubble in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.
Heavy rainfall has flooded the makeshift tent settlements that now dominate Gaza’s landscape, where most buildings have been destroyed or damaged by prolonged conflict. Displaced families described desperate conditions, with mattresses and bedding soaked through and no dry clothing available. “We spent the night holding onto the tent pole so it wouldn’t fly away in the strong wind,” recounted Samer Morsi, a 22-year-old sheltering in Deir el-Balah.
UN officials expressed grave concerns about the compounding health risks. Jonathan Crickx, UNICEF spokesman in Gaza, highlighted “absolutely appalling hygiene and sanitary conditions” with open sewage pools forming near displacement camps. The World Health Organization warned that winter conditions combined with poor water and sanitation would likely drive a surge in acute respiratory infections and preventable waterborne illnesses.
Despite a ceasefire that has partially eased aid restrictions, humanitarian supplies remain insufficient to address the immense needs of Gaza’s population, nearly all of whom have been displaced during more than two years of conflict.