Gaza crisis
As winter approaches in Gaza, families living in displacement camps face another season of cold and uncertainty, with little more than tents for shelter. The IRC is helping bring them the supplies they need to find dignity and hope.
Winter in Gaza: Cold winds through canvas
According to the United Nations, nearly 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced since October 2023—many of them multiple times.
Now, across Gaza, cold winds and rain are sweeping through overcrowded camps with temporary shelters. Children are living in makeshift tents built from canvas and wood pitched on muddy ground, with no insulation, electricity or privacy.
“There’s nothing, not even a wall to lean on,” said Mervat, a mother of five from Rafah. “Sometimes it’s cold, and it takes a toll on the children. It’s just fabric; there’s just not much safety.”
Mervat and her 5 children live together in one makeshift shelter in Khan Younis, Gaza.
Photo: Mohammed Abo Samra for the IRC
Mervat’s story: Displaced nine times
Before the war, Mervat’s life was modest but stable. Her husband worked as a builder, earning enough to provide for their family. “We lived in a house that sheltered us,” she recalled. “It wasn’t big or fancy, but it held us together.”
That stability vanished when displacement orders came without warning. “I spent half the day crying after they told us to leave,” she said. “My daughters, God bless them, gathered a few clothes. We barely managed to carry two bags and walked.”
Mervat and her family have now been displaced ten times. They currently shelter in a displacement camp, surrounded by thousands of other families. Mervat’s husband has been struggling to find work for months. Each day revolves around securing food, water and warmth.
Mervat’s son regularly walks long distances to fetch water. Her daughters wait in long lines for food distributions, sometimes coming back empty-handed as supplies run out.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Mervat’s story is one of thousands. The need in Gaza has never been greater. Over 92% of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Families, including those with infants, live entirely exposed to the elements.
Access to food, clean water, and health care remains extremely limited. Children are amongst the most impacted: an IRC assessment conducted in August found that one in three young children had gone an entire day without food in the previous 24 hours.
As winter sets in, the cold brings not only discomfort but danger. Without warm clothing, children are highly vulnerable to illness, and with no heat or adequate shelter, even a simple cold can become life-threatening.
Learn more about the crisis in Gaza and what you can do to help.
With the financial support of the European Union, the IRC is distributing essential winter clothing to children who have been displaced.
Photo: Mohammed Abo Samra for the IRC
How does the IRC reach families in Gaza?
The IRC is scaling up its humanitarian operations to meet urgent winter needs. Our teams launched a winter clothing distribution in multiple locations across Gaza, reaching displaced families who remain unable to return home after the announced ceasefire.
With support from the European Union (EU), this distribution provides over 800 sets of winter clothing, including jackets, hats, gloves, socks, and sweatshirts.
Mervat and her family receive winter clothes from the IRC.
Photo: Mohammed Abo Samra for the IRC
Beyond material aid, in partnership with the EU, the IRC also provides psychosocial support programs to help children and caregivers manage the emotional toll of displacement.
What they learn in these spaces helps them cope with their fears, find calm and begin to rebuild their confidence. At the camp, Mervat and her children attend sessions led by IRC staff members who teach children how to stay safe and take care of themselves.
“Regardless of the current situation, they would come back cheerful, happy, and emotionally relaxed,” Mervat said of her children’s reaction to the IRC sessions. “They say, ‘Mama, they energized us, played with us, talked to us, educated us.’ Even when I’d attend a session, I’d come back in a better mood.”
Through its emergency response, from delivering warm clothing and hygiene kits to offering psychological support, the IRC continues to stand with displaced families across Gaza. Families, like Mervat’s, who, for over two years, have been showing a level of strength and resilience no one should have to show.
The IRC remains committed to bringing relief and renewed hope to children in Gaza who have lost so much yet continue to dream of a safer tomorrow.
Photo: Mohammed Abo Samra for the IRC
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