In the midst of an unrelenting winter in Gaza, nearly half of its residents are forced to endure the harshest conditions imaginable - living in flimsy, dilapidated tents. The devastating consequences of Israel's relentless bombing campaign continue to unfold, leaving hundreds dead and thousands more struggling to survive.
As the world marks the ceasefire that brought relative calm to the region since October 2025, it appears that little has changed for Gaza's residents. Over 500 people have lost their lives in bombardments, with tens more succumbing to the cold as inadequate heating or clothing fails them. In a chilling reminder of the region's precarious situation, at least ten children have perished due to harsh winter conditions.
Despite the dire circumstances, local organizations such as The Sameer Project are working tirelessly to provide essential aid to those in need. The collective has set up medical clinics, treating over 650 patients daily, with many more struggling with preventable illnesses like respiratory infections and hepatitis A. Small NGOs and community groups are also doing their part, distributing food and medical supplies where the infrastructure is failing.
However, there remains a pressing concern regarding Israel's commitment to fulfilling its aid promises. Despite agreeing to deliver 600 aid trucks per day, Israel has only managed to let over 100 enter Gaza daily - far short of the original agreement. The recent reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt also shows limited signs of improvement, primarily facilitating people's movement rather than significantly increasing aid.
The quality of tents distributed by organizations like The Sameer Project is another pressing concern. Ismail al-Khalili, coordinator of the project, warns that these tents are "of poor quality" - often lasting only a month before they become unusable. Acquiring new ones proves to be an exorbitant expense, with prices ranging from $200 to $250 per unit.
As winter shows no signs of abating, Gaza's residents face an increasing risk of infectious diseases like gastroenteritis and bronchitis. The harsh conditions have resulted in a surge in these illnesses across displacement camps, with children being the most vulnerable.
As the world marks the ceasefire that brought relative calm to the region since October 2025, it appears that little has changed for Gaza's residents. Over 500 people have lost their lives in bombardments, with tens more succumbing to the cold as inadequate heating or clothing fails them. In a chilling reminder of the region's precarious situation, at least ten children have perished due to harsh winter conditions.
Despite the dire circumstances, local organizations such as The Sameer Project are working tirelessly to provide essential aid to those in need. The collective has set up medical clinics, treating over 650 patients daily, with many more struggling with preventable illnesses like respiratory infections and hepatitis A. Small NGOs and community groups are also doing their part, distributing food and medical supplies where the infrastructure is failing.
However, there remains a pressing concern regarding Israel's commitment to fulfilling its aid promises. Despite agreeing to deliver 600 aid trucks per day, Israel has only managed to let over 100 enter Gaza daily - far short of the original agreement. The recent reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt also shows limited signs of improvement, primarily facilitating people's movement rather than significantly increasing aid.
The quality of tents distributed by organizations like The Sameer Project is another pressing concern. Ismail al-Khalili, coordinator of the project, warns that these tents are "of poor quality" - often lasting only a month before they become unusable. Acquiring new ones proves to be an exorbitant expense, with prices ranging from $200 to $250 per unit.
As winter shows no signs of abating, Gaza's residents face an increasing risk of infectious diseases like gastroenteritis and bronchitis. The harsh conditions have resulted in a surge in these illnesses across displacement camps, with children being the most vulnerable.
OMG u gotta see this video from CNN about people living in tents in Gaza rn it's like something out of a movie 
they're literally freezing to death and can't get proper medical care 
meanwhile Israel's just delivering like 100 aid trucks per day which is NOTHING compared to what's needed 
u should also check out this article from The Guardian about the quality of tents being distributed by organizations like The Sameer Project 
they're literally made of poor quality material and cost like $200-250 each 
it's just crazy to think that in 2025 we're still dealing with this stuff... like, I get it, conflicts and war are nothing new, but can't we do better? 
Gaza is literally freezing its population out, living in basically cardboard boxes because Israel isn't meeting their aid promises. It's disgusting. 
at the same time, I gotta give props to The Sameer Project and other orgs that are on the ground, doing everything they can to help. But like, come on, Israel, get your act together! 
it's outrageous. I mean, what's going through their heads? Prioritize the people, for crying out loud! 
. And them new tents from The Sameer Project? Not exactly durable, u know? Like, if ppl need 'em for a month, they're basically useless by the time they get 'em 
. But what can u do? Gazans got no choice but 2 suffer thru this harsh winter 
. And all this is on Israel's watch... 
. And the prices are outrageous! $200-$250 for one tent? What's next?
it's just devastating to see what's happening in Gaza right now... those people are struggling so much and the world is still not doing enough to help 
. I mean, I've seen some news about Israel agreeing to deliver 600 aid trucks per day but it seems like they're barely getting any of them through 
. But we should be doing more, as a global community, to support Gaza's residents during this harsh winter 
.
. It's just so cruel 
.
. I mean, come on! Can't they just follow through on their promises? 
. That's insane. And the fact that kids are dying due to preventable illnesses like gastroenteritis and bronchitis is just devastating 
. We need to be holding Israel accountable for their aid commitments and making sure those tents are upgraded ASAP 
. I mean, we have ways to keep ourselves warm back home, but for some reason, that doesn't seem to be an option here.
. Israel needs to step up and deliver on their promises of aid trucks and other supplies. And those tents need to be replaced with better ones that last longer. It's just not fair to the people who are already struggling so much.
gotta say, 600 aid trucks per day is like, super low. what's up with that? 
they're saying it's due to "security concerns" but come on, that's just a bunch of bs. isn't the goal to help people survive in the first place? 
and ppl r struggling 2 survive wit harsh winters & no heat/ clothes. it's like, i get it, war & conflict causes these issues but does it have 2 happen 2 innocent ppl? 
also, idk wut's goin on wit the aid trucks but 100 ain't near enough 
these ppl r suffering 4real... and those poor kids who lost their lives... it's just too much 
. The thought of all those people shivering in the cold, without proper heating or clothing, is just heartbreaking 
.
. I mean, 100 aid trucks a day? That's not even close to the 600 they agreed to 
. I'm worried about those kids who have lost their lives - it's just so senseless 
. We gotta do more than just talk about this, we gotta act fast and help those people out! 
. Gaza's people deserve better than this 
. The number of children who have lost their lives is just TERRIFYING 
10 INNOCENT LIVES LOST DUE TO A HARSHER WINTER THAN WE COULD EVER IMAGINE 
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. The Sameer Project is doing everything they can, but it's just not enough. And those tents are a DISASTER 
. We need better aid, better infrastructure, and better support from the international community 
.