Winter usually comes with rain and cold in most Middle Eastern countries, but the situation in the Gaza Strip is beyond a simple seasonal change. In previous years, the residents of the coastal strip have experienced floods. This coming winter, however, Palestinians in Gaza are expecting more problems from the heavy winter rains in the aftermath of the devastating war in July and August of this year.
Aside from destruction and damage to infrastructure, including water and drainage networks, the 51-day war left more than 20,000 housing units totally destroyed or uninhabitable, displacing more than 100,000 people in the besieged enclave.
At present, some 24,000 displaced people live in overcrowded conditions in collective centres not designed for long-term stay, while others are hosted by relatives or have sought refuge in other transitional shelter options. A total of 75 families have moved into two temporary displacement sites in the village of Khuza’a in East Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip where the living conditions are increasingly harsh as winter approaches.
Life in a Caravan Um Bassam El-Najjar, 63 years old, moved into a prefabricated unit in a temporary displacement site with her family during the past month after a journey characterised by suffering and displacement.
“We lived in our house for 40 years before it was destroyed during the war. After the war, we set up a shack on the rubbles of our house, and we lived there for more than a month. Then in mid-October, we moved into the caravans as we could not find an apartment to rent and the winter was approaching.”
“These caravans are very hot on hot days, and extremely cold on the cold days. I cannot imagine how cold they will get in the winter,” Um Bassam says.
The first rainy visit
In October, heavy rains further deteriorated their living condition, as water seeped through the ceiling and windowsills, and the sewage system collapsed under the pressure of the rainwater. Family homes and their belongings were soaked. Um Bassam’s son and his family suffered, Um Bassam says:.
“The smell was unbearable. They had to throw away their mattresses, which reeked of sewage, and had to wash their caravan and all their clothes multiple times for the smell to go away. My two sons are still sick a week after because of the cold and rain of that night.”
NRC helping with winter preparations
NRC has initiated a winter preparation project targeting 1,000 households . Vulnerable families living in houses that were damaged in the conflict will be supported to undertake temporary repairs, which make their houses more safe and comfortable during winter. NRC provides these families with financial assistance so that roofs, windows, doors and holes in walls can be fixed before winter.
NRC is also making sure local communities are involved in these processes:
“NRC’s team will work to ensure the participation and involvement of internally displaced people in these efforts. As part of this project, they will work closely with municipalities to help them coordinate service delivery and respond to urgent needs in their communities”, says NRC Country Director Vance Culbert.
The blockade on Gaza hinders reconstruction
The reconstruction is made very difficult as a result of the ongoing eight-year crippling blockade imposed on Gaza, Culbert says:
“The Gaza Strip needs an average of 735 truckloads of construction materials per day to complete the reconstruction and meet housing shortage needs in three years; or 441 truckloads per day in five years. During the last month, only small amounts of construction materials entered the Gaza Strip, meeting only 1.8% or 2.9% of the amounts needed for reconstruction. If entry of materials continues at this pace, the process might take up to several decades. “ Vance Culbert said.
Um Bassam hopes that the international community will help her family and other Palestinians move beyond temporary shelter solutions towards reconstruction of Gaza.
“I hope that the international community and anyone who can help would act fast to start reconstruction. Every time it rains, we suffer. And if reconstruction does not start soon, our suffering will continue over this winter and God knows for how long.”
