Gaza, Dec 29 (V7N) – Displaced Palestinian families across the Gaza Strip are facing extreme hardship as prolonged displacement, inadequate shelter, and rising prices of basic necessities deepen the humanitarian crisis.
 
Shaima Wadi, a mother of four who was forced to flee from northern Jabalia, has been living in a fragile tent in Deir al-Balah for nearly two years. She said every rainfall turns their temporary shelter into a nightmare, as the tent repeatedly collapses over their heads. To keep it standing, the family uses broken pieces of wood and any available materials, but the structure remains unsafe and unstable.
 
Speaking to AFP, Shaima described the unbearable financial pressure caused by soaring prices of daily essentials. She said the cost of clothing for her children and mattresses for them to sleep on has become unaffordable. “Everything is extremely expensive now. Meeting even the most basic needs of my children has become a constant struggle,” she said.
 
Similar suffering is echoed in Gaza City, where displaced resident Mohammad Maslah told Al Jazeera that living in a tent is his only option. He said there is no alternative shelter available, as his home was completely destroyed by Israeli military operations. With no place to return to, he remains trapped in makeshift conditions, exposed to harsh weather and insecurity.
 
Aid agencies warn that the lack of permanent housing, combined with overcrowded displacement camps and limited humanitarian assistance, is leaving thousands of families vulnerable, particularly women and children. The situation is further aggravated by inflation, shortages of essential goods, and ongoing restrictions that hinder reconstruction and relief efforts.
 
As winter conditions worsen and rain continues to flood poorly built shelters, displaced families in Gaza say their survival depends on urgent international assistance and a sustainable solution to the prolonged humanitarian emergency.
 
END/WD/SMA/