Thousands of temporary structures provided by a number of countries to shelter uprooted residents in Gaza offer minimal protection from rain and gales, an assessment compiled by shelter professionals in the war-torn territory has revealed.
Findings Challenges Statements of Adequate Shelter
The assessment will undermine assertions that residents in Gaza are being supplied with suitable protection. Fierce bad weather in the last month blew down or weakened a great many tents, harming at least 235,000 people, based on estimates from relief bodies.
"The fabric [of some tents] tears without much force as construction standards is low," the findings noted. "The fabric is not waterproof. Other issues involve small windows, weak structure, no flooring, the roof collects water due to the construction of the tent, and no netting for openings."
Country-by-Country Criticisms Noted
Shelters from specific contributing nations were criticised. A number of were noted for having "permeable flimsy fabric" and a "weak structure," while others were labeled as "insubstantial" and lacking waterproofing.
Conversely, tents supplied by different countries were assessed to have met the standards established by expert agencies.
Questions Raised Over Humanitarian Standards
This report – drawing from thousands of replies to a poll and observations "from partners on the ground" – will raise new issues about the quality of aid being sent bilaterally to Gaza by particular countries.
After the ceasefire, only a minority of the tents that had been brought into Gaza were provided by large global relief agencies, per one aid official.
Market Tents Also Found Unsuitable
Civilians in Gaza and aid workers said structures offered on the commercial market by private contractors were likewise insufficient for Gaza's cold season and were prohibitively costly.
"The structure we live in is falling apart and rain leaks inside," said one displaced mother. "We received it via an acquaintance; it is makeshift from wood and tarpaulin. We cannot afford a new tent due to the sky-high prices, and we have not received any aid at all."
Broader Humanitarian Background
Almost all residents of Gaza has been displaced many times since the war began, and large swathes of the region have been transformed into rubble.
A great number in Gaza had hoped the truce would allow them to start rebuilding their homes. In reality, the division of the region and the persistent relief crisis have rendered this impossible. Hardly anyone have the resources to move, nearly all basic items remain in short supply, and fundamental services are virtually absent.
Furthermore, humanitarian work could be curtailed even more as many organizations that deliver services in Gaza confront a looming ban under recently enacted laws.
Personal Stories of Struggle
A displaced resident detailed living with her loved ones in a one, rat-infested room with no windows or proper floor in the remains of an apartment block. She stated escaping a makeshift shelter after hearing explosions near a recent frontier within Gaza.
"We left when we heard many explosions," she said. "I abandoned all our clothes behind... I know living in a damaged building during the cold months is extremely risky, but we have no alternative."
Authorities have reported that 19 people have been killed by buildings falling down after torrential rain.
The single change that altered with the start of the truce was the silence of the shelling; our day-to-day reality remain largely the same, with the same hardship," summarized another uprooted Palestinian.
