By Harshit
GAZA CITY, Dec. 12, 2025
Displaced families in Gaza are facing catastrophic winter conditions as torrential rains flood tent encampments, collapsing shelters, killing at least one infant, and intensifying fears of disease, even as the region remains stuck in Phase One of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire and peace plan. With reconstruction frozen and political deadlock mounting, Gazans continue to endure a relentless cycle of displacement, devastation, and uncertainty.
A Baby Dies in the Cold as Tents Collapse Under Heavy Rain
Hours before dawn, in a flimsy tent battered by rain and wind, a baby girl—less than a year old—was found motionless by her mother.
“It kept raining, and the cold kept getting worse. Suddenly, I found my little baby dead,” the grieving mother told Al Jazeera.
The family had been displaced multiple times since the war and was still living without heating, insulation, or safe shelter. Aid groups warn that thousands of children are in immediate danger as winter storms sweep across Gaza, flooding tents, washing away bedding, and forcing families to sleep in standing water.
UN data shows more than 800,000 Gazans are at risk of flooding, with hundreds of tents destroyed overnight. Civil defense teams report receiving over 2,500 distress calls from drowning families, collapsed tents, and children trapped in mud.
“These tents provide no protection,” UNICEF’s Jonathan Crickx said. “Clothes, mattresses, everything is soaked. Children are already sick. After two years of war, they are suffering without relief.”
Gaza Stuck in Phase One of Trump’s Peace Plan
Two months into the U.S.-imposed ceasefire, Gaza remains divided by the “yellow line,” separating Israeli-controlled areas from those under local Palestinian administration. The region has not yet moved into Phase Two of Trump’s multi-stage plan, which requires:
- Recovery of all Israeli hostages — living and dead
- Israeli troop withdrawal to the perimeter
- Deployment of an international stabilization force
- Launch of reconstruction operations
But the process is frozen, primarily due to the unresolved case of 24-year-old Israeli hostage Ran Gvili, believed to have been buried under rubble.
Israel insists that no progression is possible until his remains are located. His parents, Talik and Itzik, say political pressure must hold.
“They stole our kid,” his mother said. “They know where he is, and they’re hiding him.”
Hamas denies this, accusing Israel of using the hostage issue to delay moving forward.
Israel and Hamas Both Dragging Their Feet, Analysts Say
Retired Israeli General Israel Ziv argues that both sides have incentives to stall.
“Hamas doesn’t want to lose control. Israel’s leadership also prefers to stay in Gaza for political reasons,” he said.
He warned that time is running out:
“Hamas is reorganizing. Their strength is coming back. Remaining in this limbo is the worst-case scenario.”
Trump Pushes for Rapid Movement to Phase Two
President Trump has urged both sides to accelerate implementing the plan and said he will soon announce a “Board of Peace for Gaza,” calling it “one of the most legendary boards ever.”
Behind the scenes, Washington is pressuring Israel to start clearing rubble for temporary housing in Rafah. The proposed site could shelter tens of thousands—but only if Gazans agree to cross into Israeli-held areas and undergo screening.
Some see this as an attempt to isolate Hamas; others warn it risks deepening Gaza’s political and social fragmentation.
Gazans Face a Grim Winter: ‘We Want Homes, Not Tents’
In Gaza City, Ghadir al-Adham attempts to catch leaking rainwater in buckets as she huddles with her six children.
“Every day I sit and cry for my children,” she told the BBC. “We long for concrete to keep us warm. We want our homes rebuilt.”
Across displacement camps in Khan Younis, Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah, and Gaza City, families are fortifying tents with sandbags, rope, and plastic sheets, but the storm easily overwhelms them.
Aid workers warn of:
- Acute diarrheal disease
- Respiratory infections
- Hypothermia among infants
- Flood-driven contamination of drinking water
With reconstruction stalled and winter escalating, Gazans say they are caught between political stalemate and environmental catastrophe.
“This is not life,” said a father in Khan Younis. “We are trapped between the rain, the cold, and the world’s decisions.”