Gaza Struggles: Harsh Winter Weather Renders War-Torn Region Uninhabitable, Warns UN Official

 

Gaza is struggling with harsh winter weather conditions that have rendered the war-torn region nearly uninhabitable according to a warning from Ajith Sunghay, a United Nations human rights official responsible for the situation in Gaza and the West Bank. 

While cold and rainy weather was foreseeable at this time of year, it has greatly exacerbated hardships for Gazans still recovering from months of conflict. Sunghay fears worsening living standards could result in more civilian casualties from the lack of adequate clothing and shelter as sanitation problems increase the threat of illness. 

Accessing basic relief is also more difficult, particularly in northern areas continually targeted by Israeli military attacks. With civilians at heightened risk and minimal access to necessities due to the cumulative effects of war destruction combined with punishing storms, the UN office and Sunghay are calling for urgent assistance to address the dire circumstances facing Palestinians struggling merely to survive the harsh conditions during this challenging winter.