Gaza, December 13 (QNA) - The preliminary direct losses caused by the polar weather system "Byron", which hit the Gaza Strip in recent days, are estimated at roughly USD 4 million, triggering a compounded humanitarian catastrophe that has exacerbated the suffering of civilians, the Government Media Office in Gaza warned.

In a press briefing Saturday, Director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, Ismail Al Thawabta, stated that 11 Palestinians were confirmed dead, their bodies recovered by civil defense personnel, while search operations continue for a missing individual.

The casualties followed the collapse of several buildings previously targeted by the occupation and rendered decrepit by harsh climatic conditions, he added.

Al Thawabta confirmed the destruction of 13 houses and the flooding and washing away of over 27,000 tents due to the storm. The scene of far-reaching impact affected over 53,000 tents, either partially or completely.

Over a quarter of a million displaced persons, out of approximately 1.5 million, continue to live in rudimentary tents and shelters that barely provide even minimal protection, he warned.

Al Thawabta stressed that these developments reaffirm the accuracy of previous warnings repeatedly issued by relevant authorities in Gaza. They also reveal the fragility of the displacement environment imposed by the Israeli occupation through force and bombardment while obstructing mitigation efforts by closing crossings and blocking the entry of shelter materials.

The storm caused the erosion of hundreds of dirt roads and temporary pathways across Gaza's governorates. It disrupted transportation, impeded ambulance and civil defense access, and complicated mobility, Al Thawabta cautioned.

He noted the damage to makeshift sewage networks, the flooding of school entrances and educational centers repurposed as shelters, and the destruction of supporting service equipment within these centers.

Al Thawabta reported the disruption of temporary water supply lines, contamination of clean water with rainwater and mud, the collapse of temporary absorption pits in dozens of densely populated displaced gatherings, and the heightened risks of pollution and disease spread.

The storm also led to the spoilage of food supplies stored by thousands of Palestinian families, damaged recently distributed food aid in waterlogged areas, and depleted emergency reserves in some shelter centers, he added.

Al Thawabta further elaborated that low-lying agricultural lands were submerged, seasonal crops and farmlands were damaged, and dozens of rudimentary greenhouses supporting thousands of displaced families were devastated. This deprived hundreds of households of their livelihoods amid the absence of alternatives.

He drew attention to the damage inflicted on dozens of mobile medical points in displacement and shelter centers, the loss of medicines, medical supplies, and first-aid equipment, and the difficulty of medical teams reaching affected areas.

Al Thawabta also noted the destruction of batteries, alternative lighting sources, and the washing away or damage to small solar panels in shelters and among displaced families.

The escalation of these losses cannot be separated from the inhumane policies of the Israeli occupation, which prevent the entry of 300,000 tents, mobile homes, and caravans, obstruct the construction of safe shelters, and block crossings for relief and emergency supplies, Al Thawabta stressed.

He described these actions as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, exposing civilians, particularly women, children, and the elderly, to severe, avoidable risks.

Al Thawabta held the Israeli occupation fully and directly responsible for this harsh humanitarian reality endured by the Palestinian people, especially over 1.5 million displaced individuals residing in shelters and displacement zones after their homes were partially or completely destroyed during the ongoing war of annihilation.

He called on the international community, the United Nations and its agencies, international and humanitarian organizations, mediators and guarantors of the ceasefire, friendly nations, and donor entities to seriously spring into action to pressure the Israeli occupation into open crossings unconditionally and allow the entry of shelters, tents, mobile homes, caravans, and emergency supplies.

Al Thawabta urged the provision of genuine humanitarian protection for hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, preventing recurring scenes of flooding and collapse in future storms. He warned that the reality in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic in every sense and stressed the need for all parties to fulfill their responsibilities before it is too late.

The storm coincided with the ongoing catastrophic humanitarian conditions faced by Gaza residents due to the two-year war of annihilation waged by the Israeli occupation.

The war destroyed infrastructure and essential services across all sectors of life in Gaza and demolished high-rises and residential neighborhoods throughout the enclave.

Hundreds of thousands of families were forced to live in displacement tents, lacking the most basic elements of dignified human life. (QNA)