Gaza families build shelters from rubble as Israel blocks winter aid

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are being forced to construct shelters from the rubble of their own destroyed homes as winter storms intensify a severe humanitarian crisis. Despite a ceasefire, Israeli authorities continue to block the entry of essential shelter materials, including tents, prefabricated homes, and construction supplies.

The Desperate Pursuit of Shelter from Rubble

With no alternatives, residents have turned bomb sites into resource centers. In Khan Younis in southern Gaza, fathers like Hisham Abu Atiyeh and others are salvaging steel rods and usable debris from the ruins of buildings flattened by Israeli bombardment to build basic structures for their families. However, families report extreme difficulty in finding even the basic tools needed for this grim salvage work. Others, like one woman named Sena, have chosen to live directly atop the rubble of their former homes, preferring it to the overcrowded and disease-ridden conditions of official shelters.

Winter Storms Compound the Man-Made Catastrophe

Recent heavy rains and cold waves have turned a crisis into a catastrophe. Storms have rendered thousands of already fragile tents uninhabitable. More alarmingly, the severe weather has caused at least 13 already damaged buildings to collapse, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. In one tragic incident in Gaza City, a family's war-damaged home collapsed during a storm, trapping people inside. The UN has stated that the storms have damaged or destroyed shelters and belongings across the territory, disrupting the lives of approximately 30,000 children.

Systematic Blockade of Aid and International Condemnation

Humanitarian agencies report that this suffering is preventable. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other organizations have substantial aid stockpiled—including supplies for over 1.3 million people—ready outside Gaza's borders but blocked from entering by Israeli restrictions. Amnesty International has condemned this blockade, stating the devastating scenes "cannot be blamed solely on 'bad weather'" but are "the foreseeable consequences of Israel’s... deliberate policy". This occurs amidst a backdrop of immense destruction, with UN assessments indicating that clearing the over 40 million tons of rubble in Gaza will take at least 15 years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.