Name: Severe weather in Gaza hits vulnerable most in Israel’s war
Uploaded: 2026-01-04T16:31:45.465Z
Duration: 3 min 3 s
Description: In Gaza, a harsh winter is worsening the suffering of those wounded during the war. Children and young adults with shattered limbs have limited medical care and are forced to live in freezing tents.

In Gaza, a harsh winter is worsening the suffering of those wounded during the war. Children and young adults with shattered limbs have limited medical care and are forced to live in freezing tents.

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Severe winter weather in Gaza is exacerbating the hardships faced by civilians wounded in the ongoing conflict. Individuals with injuries requiring metal rods and pins, such as nine-year-old Asad al-Maidana and eighteen-year-old Wa'ed Murad, are experiencing increased pain and risk of infection as temperatures drop and shelter remains inadequate.

Medical workers report that the cold restricts blood flow, stiffens muscles, and turns exposed metal fixators into sources of constant pain, while flooding from rainwater further raises the risk of mass infections. Without proper treatment and shelter, recovery is delayed and the risk of permanent disability rises, making life-saving procedures even more complex under harsh winter conditions.

Severe weather in Gaza hits vulnerable most in Israel’s war

Winter is gripping Gaza, bringing more than just cold. For nine-year-old Asad al-Maidana, it brings pain. He lost his left hand when Israeli fire hit a group of children playing in a zawada in central Gaza. The same attack also wounded him in the leg. Now, as winter sets in, Asad's pain is getting worse. The metal rods and pins holding his leg in place stiffen the cold, making every step more agonising. I can't play with other children. In winter, my legs and hands hurt a lot. I haven't received any prosthetic. I struggle to change my clothes, and going to the bathroom in this cold is a real challenge. Without my parents, I cannot manage it. At night, the severe cold becomes unbearable. Eighteen-year-old Wa'ed Murad survived an attack that wiped out her entire family, seven relatives in one strike. She now lives with a life-altering injury. As the temperatures drop, her nerve pain intensifies, sleep slips away, and the limited recovery she had is threatened. I can't keep myself warm because of the severe cold. The metal bars and pins are always freezing. I'm living in a tent with no heating at all. Every time I hear the wind, I feel the pain will get worse, as the cold will affect the metal fixation devices even more. External metal fixators, rods and pins holding shattered bones together, are widely used in Gaza, often the only option under siege conditions. But winter brings its own dangers. The cold restricts blood flow, stiffens muscles, and turns exposed metal into a constant source of pain. Wounded patients with these external fixation metals are at high risk of infection when winter conditions worsen. In the case behind me, we're trying to replace the external fixation with an inside one to prevent such complications. When people are exposed to flooding from rainwater, the risk of mass infections rises, and that is exactly what we need to avoid. Medical workers warn that without sustained treatment and proper shelter, winter will not just delay recovery, it will permanently deepen disability. I'm in Gaza's orthopaedic operating room where surgeries on war-wounded patients continue despite freezing temperatures. With cold and harsh conditions outside, even life-saving procedures become more complex and injuries risks worsening. Tarek Abazzon, Al Jazeera, Deir el-Balah, Palestine.

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Severe weather in Gaza hits vulnerable most in Israel’s war

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