URGENT HUMANITARIAN APPEAL Gaza Under the Winter Storm Recurring Winter Hardship Amid Bombardment, Displacement, and the Absence of Safe Shelter
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: To international and UN agencies, humanitarian organizations, states, and all parties concerned with implementing the arrangements for the next phase in Gaza: The winter storm affecting the Gaza Strip has once again exposed one of the gravest dimensions of the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians: displaced families are confronting rain, strong winds, and cold in tents and temporary shelters that offer little protection, while the destruction of homes and infrastructure remains widespread, displacement continues, and military operations—including shelling, gunfire, military movements, incursions, and attacks—remain part of the field reality. This is not merely a temporary weather emergency, nor an isolated humanitarian incident. It is a compound crisis in which severe weather risks intersect with continuing military insecurity, accumulated destruction, and prolonged displacement. Civilians are therefore exposed to multiple and overlapping threats at the same time. More concerning still, this suffering is not new. Gaza's population has faced similar conditions with every winter season since the outbreak of the war. The vulnerability of displaced families has persisted even after the ceasefire. This demonstrates that a cessation or reduction of hostilities does not, by itself, resolve the humanitarian crisis while its structural causes remain unaddressed and families continue to lack access to safe housing and sustainable shelter alternatives. We therefore issue this appeal for urgent humanitarian and political action—not only to contain the immediate damage caused by the current storm, but also to address the underlying causes of recurring humanitarian vulnerability, protect civilians from continuing field risks, and accelerate the comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, including its security and humanitarian dimensions, in a manner that helps bring the ongoing aggression to an end and creates the conditions for recovery and reconstruction.
Author: Al Walli, Hassan
Language: English
Topic: Health and Conflict Studies
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225462534