A severe winter storm sweeping across parts of the Middle East has placed an estimated 800,000 displaced Palestinians at heightened risk, the United Nations has warned, as freezing temperatures, heavy rain and strong winds compound an already dire humanitarian situation.
According to UN humanitarian agencies, makeshift shelters housing displaced families are ill-equipped to withstand the harsh weather, leaving vulnerable populations exposed to cold-related illnesses, flooding and structural collapse. Many of the displaced, including women and children, are living in overcrowded tents or damaged buildings with limited access to heating, clean water and medical care.
The storm has worsened conditions in displacement camps where poor drainage has led to flooding, contaminating water supplies and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. Aid groups report that essential relief items such as blankets, winter clothing and fuel are in critically short supply, while access constraints continue to hamper large-scale humanitarian deliveries.
UN officials have urged the international community to step up emergency assistance, stressing that the combination of mass displacement, prolonged conflict and extreme weather is pushing affected communities to the brink. Without urgent support, humanitarian agencies warn that preventable deaths could rise as winter conditions intensify
