Deaths already suffered as war-damaged homes continue to crumble in winter weather, local authorities told media
War-damaged buildings in Gaza are at risk of collapse due to severe winter weather, threatening to claim more lives and complicating ongoing recovery efforts, local officials told media.
Heavy rain and strong winds have caused already weakened structures to give way, killing a dozen people since Friday, health authorities reportedly said. Nearly two years of fighting between Israel and the militant group Hamas have left large areas of the enclave in ruins.
On Monday, rescuers retrieved the bodies of at least 12 people from two buildings which collapsed last week, according to Al Jazeera. Families had reportedly taken shelter there due to overcrowded shelters and flooding that had washed away tents.
Displaced persons continue to take refuge in unsafe structures despite the risks involved, Al Jazeera noted. A recent UN report stated that around 70% of structures in Gaza have been destroyed as a result of the war.
Palestinian Civil Defense teams said recovery operations are being hampered by unstable debris, harsh weather conditions, and shortages of equipment and fuel. Officials estimate thousands of bodies remain buried under destroyed buildings.
Gaza officials have called on international organizations to urgently provide sturdier temporary housing, including mobile homes and caravans. The UN has also warned that the humanitarian situation is worsening as winter conditions set in.
”With heavy rain and cold brought in by Storm Byron [late last week], people in the Gaza Strip are freezing to death,” UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini posted on X.
With heavy rain & cold brought in by Storm Byron, people in the #Gaza Strip are freezing to death.
The waterlogged ruins where they are sheltering are collapsing, causing even more exposure to cold.
Hamas warned on Sunday that Israel’s continuing strikes are jeopardizing the US-brokered ceasefire in place since October 10.
Israel launched its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave in response to a surprise Hamas attack in October 2023, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. The Hamas-run Gaza health authorities say the ensuing Israeli operations have killed over 70,000 Palestinians.
