Gaza Families Face Winter in Precarious Beach Tents Amidst Displacement Crisis

Near al-Qarara port on Gaza’s coast, Anas al-Shami, 33, is struggling to provide a safe and warm environment for his family of six in a makeshift tent. The shelter offers minimal protection against the harsh winter elements, with wind and rain penetrating the fabric, leaving bedding and belongings perpetually damp. The proximity to the sea also presents a constant threat as winter storms approach. Al-Shami’s family sought refuge in this tent after their home was destroyed and they were displaced from Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis, when it was designated as Israel’s “Yellow Zone.” With displacement areas overcrowded and rental costs prohibitive, living on the beach became their only option, despite the inherent dangers and the fear of a repeat of last winter's devastating floods.

Recalling the previous winter, al-Shami described waking to find his children sleeping in water as seawater and rain inundated their tent. Their belongings were repeatedly soaked, turning the tent into a pond and leaving him unable to shield his children from the cold. Despite efforts throughout the year, the family remains without alternative housing, bracing for another winter exposed to the elements. The constant exposure to water, cold, and dampness has led to severe illnesses among his children, posing life-threatening risks.

This plight is shared by many along the coastline. Ibrahim Abu Tair, 47, also displaced from eastern Khan Younis, is sharing a cramped tent with his seven children on the shoreline. Their dilapidated shelter lacks basic necessities and offers little defense against the cold, rain, and wind. Abu Tair expressed his profound distress at feeling “helpless in front of my children,” unable to provide them with warm clothing or even a dry mattress. The strong winds and the sound of rising waves disrupt his sleep, fueling his terror of another flood like the one that forced his family to endure the cold in the open last year. His sole desire is to find a safe haven where his children can sleep without fear.

Some families have resorted to innovative, albeit temporary, solutions to mitigate the risk of flooding. By filling damaged cooking pots with earth and stacking them, they have created barriers to hold back the encroaching seawater. The Mayasem Association, in collaboration with World Central Kitchen, has adopted this method, producing these pot-barriers for families near al-Qarara port. This initiative repurposes large pots damaged by heat and corrosion. Three stacked pots, reaching about 150 centimeters in height, form a barrier designed to prevent waves from reaching the shelter sites. Initially, the association used these barriers to protect its own safe space, which hosts educational and cultural programs, but the idea evolved to safeguard displaced families along the coast.

This innovative approach, while helpful for destitute families in Gaza, underscores the critical shortage of safe shelter. The initiative emerges as Gaza’s Winter Emergency Committee warns of an escalating humanitarian catastrophe. Tents and caravans are in critically short supply, as Israeli authorities continue to restrict their entry into Gaza, along with essential construction materials and fuel. The committee reports that Israeli forces have destroyed approximately 70 percent of municipal operational equipment and 90 percent of civil defense rescue equipment. The ongoing fuel crisis threatens to halt the functioning of machinery and generators, severely limiting the capacity for flood response, rescue operations, and road clearance.

Approximately 200,000 dilapidated tents house hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals, including vulnerable groups like children, women, and people with disabilities. The committee has highlighted that about 7,800 of these tents are situated in highly hazardous areas, such as dry riverbeds prone to flooding, rainwater collection ponds, and exposed beaches. These families require urgent relocation to safer grounds. Furthermore, around 2,000 buildings with structural damage are at risk of collapse, endangering the families seeking refuge within them. The committee emphasizes the urgent need for building materials, caravans, shelter, and fuel.