Severe Weather in Gaza Claims Lives of 17 Palestinians
In a tragic incident, civil defense authorities in the Gaza Strip reported today, December 17, 2025, the deaths of 17 Palestinians, including four children, due to a severe weather front affecting the region. This weather event has resulted in extreme conditions and significant building collapses.
Mahmoud Bessal, a spokesperson for the civil defense, stated that the freezing temperatures were a direct cause of several fatalities, while others lost their lives due to the collapse of structures damaged by heavy rain and strong winds.
Bessal confirmed that since the onset of the weather front, over 17 residential buildings have completely collapsed, with more than 90 others facing serious partial collapses, posing an immediate threat to the lives of thousands of residents given the fragile infrastructure and worsening humanitarian situation.
He noted that around 90% of emergency shelters in Gaza have been completely flooded due to heavy rains, and all tents for displaced individuals across various regions have been damaged and inundated, forcing thousands of families to lose their temporary homes.
This situation has also resulted in damage to clothing, mattresses, and blankets, exacerbating the suffering of the population, particularly children and the elderly, amid a drastic drop in temperatures and an acute shortage of basic necessities.
Since the beginning of the weather crisis, civil defense forces have received over 5,000 distress calls from citizens, while teams are operating with limited resources to manage the extent of the disaster.
Bessal reiterated the urgent call for the international community and humanitarian organizations to take immediate action to support the residents of Gaza and provide much-needed aid, emphasizing that the tents have proven inadequate in coping with extreme weather conditions.
He urged relevant authorities and international institutions to cease the introduction of tents and called for immediate and urgent measures for reconstruction and the provision of safe shelters that uphold human dignity and protect lives from recurring dangers.
Gaza is currently facing not only a winter storm but also a humanitarian catastrophe that necessitates urgent international intervention before the death toll rises further.
