A Low-Pressure System Deepens the Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza, Drowning Thousands of Tents

The Gaza Strip is experiencing deteriorating humanitarian conditions as a strong low-pressure system continues to hit the area since the middle of the week. This system has caused the flooding of thousands of tents and shelters that house hundreds of thousands of displaced people, amid severe shortages of heating and protective resources.

The Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reported that an eight-month-old infant named Rahaf Abu Jazar died in Khan Younis due to the extreme cold resulting from the harsh weather conditions.

The Gaza government media office stated that more than 288,000 families are still living in old and dilapidated tents, noting that Israeli authorities continue to prevent the entry of new tents or essential humanitarian supplies to improve the shelter conditions.

For its part, Hamas considered that what is happening is an extension of the suffering of civilians in the strip due to the siege and the prohibition of reconstruction. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasem called on mediators and the countries that guarantee the ceasefire agreement to exert pressure for the immediate start of the reconstruction process. He also urged Arab and Islamic countries, as well as regional organizations, to take action to provide humanitarian protection for the affected population.

The low-pressure system is expected to continue affecting the region until Friday evening, with fears of more deaths and injuries, in what is described as one of the worst humanitarian crises since the beginning of the war, with no signs of imminent improvement in relief efforts or the permission to allow construction materials into the region.