Winter Aid Reaches Only 52,000 Gaza Families as Storms Loom

Residents of Gaza are bracing for a fourth winter in the conflict, but new data shows that available winter shelter supplies cover only a small fraction of the population. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that at least 294,250 families require winter shelter assistance. Current supplies provide partial aid to just 52,000 families, leaving roughly 82 percent of displaced households without sufficient support as coastal storms approach.

In western Gaza City, Mohammed al-Jamal, 60, spends his days securing nylon sheets and tarpaulin to the ground. He and his sons are trying to reinforce their damaged shelter before the wind and rain arrive. Al-Jamal, who has been displaced repeatedly since the war began in October 2023, shares this space with about 30 extended family members. He cannot afford a new tarpaulin, which costs between 120 and 150 shekels in local markets. His family relies on extra clothing to stay warm as temperatures drop to 7C, and he notes that successive storms often undo the work they put into reinforcing their shelter.

The damage across the territory is extensive. More than 74,500 Palestinians have been killed in the war, and more than 80 percent of buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Approximately 1.5 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are living in tents or improvised shelters. A Shelter Cluster survey found that over 65 percent of displaced households occupy tents or makeshift structures, with more than half of those shelters rated in poor or very poor condition.

Logistical challenges continue to slow the delivery of supplies. On October 5, the Norwegian Refugee Council stated that at least 500 truckloads of shelter materials were waiting to enter Gaza or be procured. The organization warned that at the current pace, moving these supplies into the territory could take more than seven months. The materials include tents, tarpaulins, ropes, and other items needed for repairs.

Khitam Salman, 39, from Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, has moved repeatedly in the past two years. She now lives near the beach where her family’s tent has collapsed four times while they slept. Torn fabric allows sand to enter, offering little protection against storms. Her husband works in the health sector but receives his salary only once every three months. The family needs coverings for two tents and a storage area, but they lack the funds to buy them.

Broken infrastructure compounds the risk of flooding. Gaza Municipality spokesperson Husni Muhanna said more than 85 percent of the city’s infrastructure has been damaged. Rainwater drainage is operating at roughly 20 percent of its former capacity. Emergency cleaning has begun, but rubble and shortages of machinery, fuel, and materials limit the work. This increases the danger of rainwater mixing with wastewater and inundating camps.

Yosra Mesleh, 45, is facing her second winter in a tent after her home in Gaza City’s Nassr neighbourhood was destroyed. Last winter, rain soaked her family’s bedding, leaving them with no dry place to sit. Her husband has been unemployed since the war started, and her son struggles to cover his own expenses. Mesleh said her family needs cooking utensils, a suitable cooking space, and regular gas supplies in addition to shelter. "We are asking for tarpaulins and tents, for a dignified life," she said.