Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis Worsened by Climate Change, Rescue Organization Warns
Gaza is currently facing a dire situation as over a million cases of respiratory infections have been reported. Additionally, cases of diarrhea, skin diseases, and jaundice are on the rise. Many families who have been forced to flee their homes are living in tents in Gaza without proper protection, blankets, or clothing to keep the cold at bay. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that the cooling weather and floods caused by heavy rains threaten to exacerbate the humanitarian situation in Gaza even further.
Challenges Faced by Displaced Families
According to the IRC, a significant number of tents in their operational areas have been destroyed, leaving families struggling to survive in temporary shelters that barely protect them from the cold. ”With little to no new building materials coming into Gaza, families are struggling to survive in temporary shelters that barely protect them from the cold. Over a million cases of respiratory infections have been reported alongside increasing cases of diarrhea, skin diseases, and jaundice,” said Bart Witteveen, the organization’s Country Director for the Palestinian Territories.
The spread of diseases amidst the floods is exacerbated by the fact that waste management and sewage services have been halted as Israel has blocked fuel deliveries to Gaza, the organization reports. ”Under international law, Israel, as an occupying power, has a legal obligation to facilitate the access of humanitarian aid to the area. The IRC urgently demands fuel, food, clean water, healthcare, and proper shelter for families in the area before the situation worsens. Without necessary actions, the suffering of millions, especially children, the elderly, and pregnant women, will continue in catastrophic conditions,” Witteveen continued.
Impact on Vulnerable Populations
The weather conditions pose a threat to a significant number of people in Gaza. According to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), 945,000 people are at risk of exposure to cold and rain this winter.
Attacks Near Besieged Hospital
Israel has continued its attacks on northern Gaza, killing dozens of civilians. In a drone strike near Kamal Adwan Hospital, Israel killed a 16-year-old wheelchair-bound youth, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health as reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Several hospital workers were also injured in the attack.
Beit Lahiya’s hospital, located in northern Gaza, has been the only functioning hospital in the area for weeks. However, it has been operating only partially due to a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies. Israel also struck a residential building in Beit Lahiya, killing at least 15 people, according to Al Jazeera.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, Israel killed 48 Palestinians and injured over two hundred in attacks within a day, as reported by Al Jazeera. The UN Special Committee investigating Israel’s actions in Gaza stated in November that Israel’s methods of warfare in Gaza meet the criteria for genocide. Amnesty International also alleges that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
