The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warned of a worsening displacement crisis in the Gaza Strip, amid continued Israeli bombardment and deteriorating humanitarian conditions. The majority of Palestinians are forced to face a fourth winter in flimsy tents that offer no protection from the rain and cold, with dwindling prospects of returning to their homes. Meanwhile, Palestinians were killed and wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes on the central Gaza Strip and Gaza City, while the siege of Hebron in the West Bank continued for the ninth consecutive day.
The head of the UN Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ajith Songwe, stated in a UN report that the nightmare of displacement in Gaza has become both acute and chronic. He noted that most Palestinians are now living their fourth year of displacement, facing their fourth winter in flimsy tents that cannot withstand the rain, while remaining vulnerable to Israeli bombardment.
Songai called for an end to this suffering, saying, “Let this be the last,” emphasizing that Palestinians should not have to endure another winter in harsh displacement conditions.
He explained that Palestinians displaced before the ceasefire had little hope of returning to the areas they fled, as most of these areas are inaccessible because they lie outside the so-called “yellow line,” and they continue to face repeated waves of displacement.
