<\/span>CNN<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The water that flooded into some tents in Deir al-Balah soaked everything inside, leaving blankets and carpets a tangled, dusty mess. Large plastic sheets which served as the floor sunk into the wet sand, leaving nothing between those sheltering inside and the bare ground. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat will keep us warm tonight?\u201d Mohammad Younis asked, as he picked up his wet clothes. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re like beggars in front of the world, and nobody cares about us. I don\u2019t know where I\u2019ll sleep. I\u2019ll end up sleeping in the sea,\u201d he cried. <\/p>\n
The tarpaulin serving as a roof on Younis\u2019 tent is now torn, allowing water in. <\/p>\n
In another makeshift tent flooded by the raging sea, a displaced family of 10 sat shivering while the mother, Um Fadi, cooked over a fire. When they were displaced from Rafah months ago, she said, they were forced to shelter on the beach because there was nowhere else to go. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trapped from all directions. From the sea, from the Israelis, from not having a home, from hunger,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
After a year of war following Hamas\u2019 October 7 attacks on Israel, at least 1.9 million people \u2013 or about 90% of the population across the Gaza Strip \u2013 are internally displaced, according to the UN. Many have been displaced repeatedly, some 10 times or more, it added. <\/p>\n
The Norwegian Refugee Council said in a recent report that Israel\u2019s continued offensive has given Palestinians fewer options for shelter this year compared to last. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis winter, as fewer buildings remain standing, many Palestinians are forced to live in tents and makeshift shelters that provide considerably less protection against cold wind and rain,\u201d the report said. <\/p>\n
As of September 2024, more than 200,000 housing units in Gaza had been destroyed and severely damaged, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which added that nearly 1 million people are in need of \u201cwinterization support.\u201d <\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought shelter in Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, designated a \u201chumanitarian zone\u201d by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Many are living in tents in an area with limited infrastructure or access to humanitarian aid. <\/p>\n
In recent months, the coastal camp has been hit repeatedly by Israeli strikes, attacks the IDF says are targeting Hamas. <\/p>\n
The tents are dilapidated after heavy rain and brutal winds. <\/p>\n
As Sunday\u2019s storm whipped through, people\u2019s belongings were strewn along the beach, some having been swallowed up by the sea. <\/p>\n
Most of the tents and makeshift shelters they rely on have been used for months and need replacement to withstand harsh winter conditions, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is beyond imagination, knowing that they can barely survive regular weather with whatever they have\u2026 A lack of proper clothing, blankets and safe heating methods mean families will remain cold and at risk for many months,\u201d he added. It\u2019s a fear that haunts Um Fadi in Deir al-Balah every day. <\/p>\n
\u201cTonight, we\u2019re threatened by great danger. At any moment, the sea might engulf us. We don\u2019t know what we will do,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
In northern Gaza, the Israeli military is carrying out a widespread operation that has entered its second month. The bombardment has displaced up to 130,000 Palestinians since October 6, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the need for aid is acute. <\/p>\n
Many have sought shelter in Yarmouk sports stadium in Gaza City, where decrepit tents made of white cloth turned brown on Sunday following an evening of heavy rain. <\/p>\n
As in the seafront shelter, young children stood barefoot on the wet asphalt or waded through puddles, wearing barely enough to keep them warm, while their parents tried to repair the damaged tents. <\/p>\n