Gazans seek refuge in 'the sky' as rains swamp, ruin their tents
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Sudden downpours flooded displaced Palestinians' makeshift tents amid the ongoing Israeli genocide and bombardment, leaving them with nowhere safe to go.
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Displaced Palestinians inspect their tents destroyed by Israel's bombardment, adjunct to an UNRWA facility west of Rafah city, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (AP)
Displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip seeking shelter in makeshift tents due to the ongoing Israeli carpet bombing and attacks now face the challenges of harsh winter conditions as sudden downpours exacerbate their bind.
According to Anadolu, even brief rains were enough to flood and ruin tents, as well as submerge their surroundings, leaving approximately two million displaced Palestinians with "no refuge but the sky".
Muhammad Abdullah Kobi, who fled to the Nusairat Refugee Camp in central Gaza with his family, described the state of their torn tents, noting that the ground on which they were set up was unsuitable for living.
As rains pour over Gaza, tents are left flooded due to the absence of waterproof tarps and supplies, rendering survival in the winter even harder amid the Israeli bombardment.
"It rained for about an hour, and this is the result. What will we do when it rains for days? There’s no safe or livable place for us to go — no house, not even a caravan. We don't even have medicine for our children when they fall sick," Kobi said.
In Deir al-Balah, Ahmed Abdullatif expressed his frustration toward the international silence and inaction after rains soaked his mattresses and blankets, saying "People seem to take pleasure in the pain of our women and children."
In another tent, Fatma, a journalist from Gaza, was sewing up her family's torn-up tent while her husband Khalid tried to salvage whatever possessions they owned as rains swamped their belongings.
"How much longer are we supposed to endure this tragedy?" Khalid exclaimed, according to Anadolu, urging immediate international action to end the war in the Strip.
74% of displaced Palestinians' tents unfit for use: Gaza Gov. Office
The Government Media Office in Gaza issued an urgent humanitarian call on September 14 urging the protection of the two million displaced Palestinians in Gaza ahead of winter.
In a statement, the Media Office revealed that 543 displacement centers exist in Gaza due to the war and the Israeli crime of forced displacement, which is a violation of international humanitarian law.
Government field assessments estimated, however, that 74% of the displaced Palestinians' tents have become unsuitable for use, further clarifying that 100,000 of the 135,000 tents need to be replaced due to complete damage.
"These tents are made of wood, nylon, and fabric, which have worn out due to the heat of the sun and weather conditions in Gaza. They are no longer usable, especially after 11 continuous months of displacement, leading to these inhumane conditions," the statement read.
The Israeli occupation forces have also prevented the entry of at least a quarter of a million tents into the Gaza Strip, which adds to the plight of Palestinian refugees, who "will be left without any shelter during the winter, forced to sleep on the ground and cover themselves with the sky."
