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BREAKING
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes
Israeli media outlet: Security incident reported in the Gaza Strip
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation

Displaced Palestinians dig trenches to shelter from cold, airstrikes

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Jan 2025 22:30
2 Min Read

"If an explosion happened around us and the soil collapsed, this shelter would become our grave," Palestinian father Tayseer said.

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  • Palestinian father Tayseer Obeid who was displaced with his family from the North of the besieged Gaza Strip
    Palestinian father Tayseer Obeid who was displaced with his family from the North of the besieged Gaza Strip, prepares to dig a trench in his tent in an attempt to protect his children from the cold and Israeli strikes in his makeshift camp in Deir el-Balah, January 8, 2025. (AFP)

As temperatures plunge and heavy rains batter war-torn central Gaza, displaced families are resorting to desperate measures to survive. In Deir el-Balah, Tayseer Obaid, a Palestinian father, has dug an underground shelter for his family, attempting to create a safer and more comfortable space amidst the chaos.

Speaking to AFP, Obaid described how he began digging into the clay soil to expand their limited living area. "I had an idea to dig into the ground to expand the space as it was very limited," he explained.

Over time, he dug nearly two meters deep, adding mattresses for comfort and using flour sacks filled with sand to pave the entry and prevent mud from accumulating. Despite these efforts, he acknowledges the risks, saying, "If an explosion happened around us and the soil collapsed, this shelter would become our grave."

كنت قاعدة مرا جوا حوش الدار (طيور الجنة ) pic.twitter.com/yHy4mJj2ND

— Tayseer Obaid | تيسير عبيد (@tayseerobaid88) December 30, 2024

Related News

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Gaza flattened for pay, not need: IOF reward operators for each ruin

The war, now in its 14th month, has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.4 million residents. According to UNOSAT, 66% of the territory's buildings have been damaged or destroyed by relentless airstrikes. With construction materials scarce due to the complete blockade, displaced families are forced to rely on improvised shelters in overcrowded camps.

Read more: Gaza death toll 40% higher than official figures, Lancet study reveals

The situation has been further exacerbated by freezing winter weather.

On Thursday, the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) reported the tragic deaths of eight newborns from  hypothermia and 74 children succumbing to the brutal conditions.

"We enter this New Year carrying the same horrors as the last -- there's been no progress and no solace. Children are now freezing to death," said UNRWA spokeswoman Louise Wateridge.

Since the start of the war, at least 46,537 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, have been killed, according to figures from Gaza's health ministry. The humanitarian crisis continues to deepen, with no end to the suffering in sight.

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