May Allah Bring Relief as Gaza Faces Winter and Aid Shortages
Assalamu alaikum - may Allah grant ease to those suffering.
Hamas handed over the body of another deceased Israeli captive through the International Committee of the Red Cross, as families across the Gaza Strip prepare for the cold months with too little shelter, food, and other essentials.
Officials said the transfer leaves six captives’ remains still in Gaza. Returning bodies has been a major sticking point in the ceasefire deal, with Israel saying all remains must be returned, while Hamas says the huge destruction and limits on heavy equipment have made recovery difficult. Reporters noted the body returned this week was found after four days of digging through rubble in the Shujayea area, an area that has been under Israeli control for months, and that an Egyptian team helped in the effort.
Tensions continued: Israeli forces were reported to have killed two Palestinians in central Gaza, and local health authorities said another Palestinian was killed while collecting firewood.
Humanitarian groups warn that, despite some increase in aid since the ceasefire began, the volume of food and supplies entering Gaza is far below what is needed. A senior World Food Programme spokesperson said we’re in a race against time with winter coming, and urged that crossings be opened so aid can move quickly.
Gaza authorities said Israel allowed about 145 aid trucks per day on average early in the ceasefire - just a small fraction of the 600 trucks daily that the agreement calls for. The Norwegian Refugee Council also reported that many requests to bring in shelter items like tents and blankets were rejected, warning there is a very short window to protect families from winter rains and cold.
In the meantime, thousands of displaced Palestinians - many who lost homes in the two-year bombardment - depend on community soup kitchens across Gaza. “Life is difficult for us, because we own nothing and we don’t have anything to buy food with. There is no work,” one father of nine said. A mother of six said she comes to the soup kitchen every day so her children can eat, calling the truce a “sham” because the siege and restrictions remain.
May Allah ease the hardships of the people of Gaza, grant patience to those who are suffering, and open the way for unrestricted humanitarian access and relief.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news