Gaza protest highlights deepening crisis as residents face cold, disease, and ruin
Palestinians in Gaza demonstrated against catastrophic living conditions, citing a collapse of sanitation, deadly cold, and rampant disease. Officials warn the humanitarian situation is worsening despite a declared ceasefire.
Palestinians in Gaza gathered in protest on Sunday, voicing desperation over a deepening humanitarian catastrophe marked by collapsing infrastructure, extreme winter conditions, and the spread of disease. The demonstration highlighted the severe and ongoing human toll in the coastal enclave following years of conflict and blockade.
"We Want to Rebuild Our Lives": A Child's Plea from the Ruins
Demonstrators, including many displaced families, carried banners pleading for international intervention with messages such as “Enough with injustice and neglect” and “An epidemic is threatening us.” Eylin, a displaced Palestinian girl, described the dire reality to Anadolu Agency, stating, “We live in tents that offer no protection from heat or cold.” She voiced a shared longing amid the devastation: “We want to rebuild our lives and we need homes that will protect us.”
A Collapsing Environment: No Sanitation, Rising Disease
A central grievance of the protest is the complete breakdown of basic municipal and health services. Said Akluk, an official with Gaza’s Health Ministry, explained that waste collection mechanisms have failed, making it impossible to transport garbage safely outside residential areas due to ongoing security challenges and restrictions. He directly linked the squalid conditions to a public health disaster, noting that tents fail to meet minimum hygiene standards, pests have multiplied due to bans on control products, and there are even reports of stray animal attacks on children.
Ceasefire in Name Only: Conditions Worsen Amid Continued Restrictions
Despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in October 2025, local authorities assert that the crisis is intensifying. Gaza’s Government Media Office stated that Israeli violations continue and the stringent restriction of humanitarian aid has exacerbated the catastrophe. They report that hundreds of thousands remain in flimsy tents without protection from severe weather, with the lack of shelter, healthcare, and heating posing lethal risks, particularly to infants and children. The office noted that at least 21 Palestinians have died from the cold since the start of winter, underscoring the immediate mortal danger beyond direct combat.
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