Warning of severe cold wave and threat to citizens' lives in Gaza

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: Mahmoud Basal stated in an interview with Safa News Agency: A significant decrease in temperature and adverse weather conditions could cause buildings that have already been damaged by bombing to collapse, and also increase the risk of death and injury from frostbite; especially among infants, the elderly and the sick, in conditions of a lack of heating equipment, worn-out tents and a lack of minimum protective facilities.

 

He added: Relief forces are operating with very limited resources and in the shadow of a severe shortage of equipment and fuel; an issue that has made it more difficult to respond quickly to aid requests in these conditions.

 

Basal sent an urgent appeal to the international community, the United Nations, and human rights organizations, calling for immediate intervention and serious pressure to bring in emergency shelter items, fuel, heating equipment, and other basic needs, and stressed that without immediate action, the cold nights ahead could turn into a new disaster with human casualties in Gaza.

 

According to IRNA, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) had previously issued a statement warning about the consequences of winter in the Gaza Strip, stating that the cold season conditions pose a serious threat to the lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced children and their families living in temporary shelters throughout the region.

 

UNICEF added in the statement that the widespread destruction of water and sewage systems as a result of the fighting has caused unsafe water to flow into residential areas during heavy rains, which has led to the collapse of tents and the soaking of residents' clothes and sleeping gear.

 

The international organization also stressed that high population density and poor environmental sanitation, combined with low temperatures, lack of resources, lack of warm clothing and dry land, have created a potentially deadly cycle for displaced people, especially children.

 

According to the statement, the risk of frostbite and water-borne diseases has become a daily reality, and this threat is even more acute for children who already face weakened immune systems.

 

UNICEF announced that since the ceasefire was declared in October 2025, it has delivered thousands of family tents, hundreds of thousands of blankets and winter clothing packages to the Gaza Strip as part of its response to the cold season needs.

 

The organization also added that winter measures have included providing cash assistance to the most vulnerable families, draining floodwaters, strengthening rainwater collection ponds and clearing debris from streams and pipelines to prevent the flooding of internally displaced people’s settlements.