70,000 tents flooded in winter storm in Gaza... 500,000 children exposed to cold

The first winter storm hit the Gaza Strip, flooding about 70,000 tents and exposing more than 500,000 children to cold and poor living conditions.

Save the Children, an international children's rights non-governmental organization (NGO), announced on the 10th that more than 1,500 emergency rescue requests were received in the Gaza Strip due to the winter storm that occurred last weekend.

Children and families were forced to leave their flooded temporary shelters due to the storm. There are concerns about damage as temperatures drop to as low as 5 degrees Celsius and additional winter storms are forecast.

Approximately 1.2 million Gaza residents are living in 'severe' or 'catastrophic' housing conditions, of which more than 500,000 are children. Old and torn tents and temporary shelters are vulnerable to strong winds and heavy rain, and heating conditions are poor.

More than 1 million residents need winter clothing, but the amount secured only accounts for 1% of demand.

Save the Children is distributing approximately 4,870 winter clothing kits to affected families and providing emergency living expenses to 3,680 families. Save the Children Korea is also raising funds for emergency relief to help affected children and their families.

Save the Children said, “There is a shortage of essential winter supplies due to restrictions on the import of relief supplies into the Gaza Strip,” and urged, “The international community must support the smooth import of essential winter relief supplies, such as tents, temporary shelter materials, fuel, and winter clothing.”