UNRWA: Around 235,000 Palestinians affected by man-made crisis in Gaza

(Patria) - At least 235,000 people have been affected by a "man-made" crisis in Gaza after low-pressure systems hit the war-torn enclave, said the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

"Months of war and displacement have forced people in Gaza to live among collapsed ruins, in makeshift shelters or fragile tents," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on social media platform X, adding:

"While Storm Byron, which hit Gaza on December 10, was a natural disaster, its consequences were man-made".

Heavy rains and strong winds, caused by low-pressure systems, led to the collapse of 17 structures and the complete or partial damage of over 42,000 tents or makeshift shelters, affecting at least 235,000 people between December 10 and 17, Lazzarini stated, citing data from the Shelter Cluster Coordination in Gaza.

According to civil defense, a new wave of weather disturbances hit Gaza over the weekend, causing the deaths of two people and uprooting tens of thousands of tents.

Weather conditions pose a great danger to displaced Palestinians living in dilapidated tents or in heavily damaged, high-risk structures, which have been repeatedly targeted by Israeli attacks since October 2023.

Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed over 71,200 people in its offensive on Gaza, mostly women and children, while over 171,200 people have been injured, leaving the enclave in ruins.

Despite the ceasefire that came into effect in Gaza on October 10, Israel continues to keep border crossings closed and prevent the entry of mobile homes and reconstruction materials, further worsening the situation for the nearly 2.4 million people in the enclave.