When Winter Bites: Needs and Uncertainty Are on the Rise for Children and Families in Gaza
Your support now can make the unbearable bearable
- English
- العربية
This freezing winter does not pause for the struggles of children and their families, nor does UNICEF pause its lifesaving humanitarian support.
Amid the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, which has been breached several times since its announcement last October, children and their families are facing unprecedented hardship. Displaced from their homes, they endure freezing temperatures, harsh winter storms, and a collapsed health system, standing vulnerable and unprotected against the elements.
Shivering in Silence: Gaza’s Children Face Winter in Displacement
Hamza, 10, Malek, 9, Qasem, 8, and little Besan, 4, cling to their mother, Doaa, in a small tent, their clothes damp from the rain seeping through the thin canvas. The winter storms in Gaza have turned the makeshift camp into a muddy, flooded landscape, where every night brings fear, cold, and uncertainty. Doaa does everything she can to protect her children. “The rain flooded our tent. My children’s clothes are soaked. They cannot sleep, and I have nowhere dry to cook,” she says. Her voice trembles as she adds, “Life has become unbearable.”
The children cough and shiver, too cold to rest, while the wind cuts through the torn fabric of their shelter. Their small world, once fragile, now feels unsafe and unforgiving. Every day is a struggle for warmth, for food, for a sense of normalcy.
Across Deir al-Balah and other displacement camps, thousands of families face the same hardship. Tents collapse under the weight of rain, water seeps into mattresses and children endure freezing nights without the protection they deserve.
Through it all, UNICEF is there
UNICEF is on the ground, delivering tarpaulins, family tents, winter clothing, and essential supplies. But the needs are immense, and many children remain exposed to the harsh winter conditions.
With your support, we can provide life-saving aid, giving children a safe space to sleep, warm clothes to wear, and hope for the future. This winter, your help can make the unbearable bearable.
