Worsen winter conditions threaten damaged buildings in Gaza to collapse

(MENAFN) Buildings across Gaza that were damaged during the conflict are increasingly in danger of collapsing as harsh winter conditions worsen, raising fears of additional casualties and further hindering recovery efforts, according to statements from local officials.

Persistent heavy rainfall and powerful winds have caused structurally weakened buildings to fail, resulting in the deaths of around a dozen people since Friday, as stated by health authorities. Nearly two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas have left vast sections of the territory heavily damaged or completely destroyed.
Earlier this week, emergency crews recovered the remains of at least 12 people from two structures that had collapsed days earlier, according to reports. Families were said to have sought shelter in those buildings because evacuation centers were overcrowded and flooding had swept away tents in nearby areas.

Despite the dangers, many displaced residents continue to stay in unstable buildings due to a lack of alternatives, reports noted. International assessments indicate that roughly 70% of Gaza’s buildings have been destroyed during the course of the war.

Civil defense teams say rescue and recovery work is being severely obstructed by shifting debris, severe weather, and shortages of essential equipment and fuel. Officials believe that thousands of victims are still trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed structures.

Authorities in Gaza have appealed to international organizations for immediate assistance, urging the delivery of more durable temporary housing solutions such as mobile homes and caravans. International agencies have also cautioned that humanitarian conditions are deteriorating rapidly as winter intensifies.

”With heavy rain and cold brought in by Storm Byron [late last week], people in the Gaza Strip are freezing to death,” UNRWA Commissioner
General Philippe Lazzarini posted on X.

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