Unseasonal Gaza Hailstorm Draws Attention to Palestinian Refugees’ Plight  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“A hint of #snow in #Gaza no kidding #lol once again I remind U that it's #spring,” tweets @Omar_Gaza, who shares this photograph on Twitter
Netizens are reporting unseasonal snowfall in Gaza today, after heavy rains. Others say it's just hail. But for many the suffering of Gaza's 108,000 homeless and internally displaced refugees comes to mind.
Palestinian blogger Omar Ghraieb reminds us:
Thinking of the homeless, displaced & refugees :( #Gaza
— Omar Ghraieb (@Omar_Gaza) April 12, 2015
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory about 108,000 Palestinians out of 500,000 displaced at the height of hostilities with Israel were still homeless by October, 2014, when winter started. At least 2,100 Palestinians have been killed, more than 10,500 injured, and 520,000 displaced, since Israel launched a massive offensive called Protective Edge against the 40-kilometer-long coastal strip on July 8, 2014. Some estimates say 40 per cent of Gaza's urban area has been reduced to rubble. Israel attacked the only power plant in Gaza on July 28, plunging the congested strip of 1.8 million people into darkness while putting its limited water and sanitation infrastructure under crippling stress. On August 26, Israel and the Palestinian factions agreed to halt fighting indefinitely, putting an end to seven weeks of catastrophic destruction and loss of life.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory over 100,000 Palestinians out of 500,000 displaced at the height of hostilities with Israel were still without homes in October 2014.
The cold weather and flooding only makes the situation more unbearable for those without homes.
Son of Palestine explains:
Heavy rain creating floods in certain parts of #Gaza :( for the homeless this is a disaster #PrayForGaza #EndTheBlockade
— Son Of Palestine (@UpdatePalestine) April 12, 2015
According to Ma'an News Agency, the heavy rain “has flooded low-lying areas across the Gaza Strip, including Khazaa and Beit Hanoun where thousands of Gazans displaced by the Israeli offensive last summer are living in caravans.”
Saber Abu Maryam shares photographs of flooded streets at the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza:
Streets of Al-Shati refugee camp of #Gaza #Palestine are full of Rain's water #PrayForGaza @AyazLatifPalijo @RamAbdu pic.twitter.com/gUx2m5OnRv
— Sabir Abu Maryam (@SabirAbuMaryam) April 12, 2015
From Gaza, Layan Baker shares this photograph of Gaza port:
#Gaza sea port today covered with snow pic.twitter.com/atpRNXNmLg
— Layan.Baker (@LayanBaker) April 12, 2015
Ali Dwedar adds:
Rain and snow on Gaza today Good morning #Gaza pic.twitter.com/j2mLaiOJYQ
— Ali (@alidwedar) April 12, 2015
And Abbas Sarsour shares another photograph:
Gaza snow this morning people. #PrayForGaza pic.twitter.com/r7cZ0n5ALq
— Abbas Sarsour (@iFalasteen) April 12, 2015
Just Aerdt, who is in Gaza, is unfazed. He explains that what netizens described as snow was just hail:
Seriously, what is with all the ‘snow in #Gaza‘ tweets? I have seen an insane amount of hail this morning, but must have missed the ‘snow’
— Just Aerdt (@aerdt) April 12, 2015
He adds:
Hail is linked to severe thunderstorms, which we had this morning. Nothing to do with snow whatsoever #Gaza
— Just Aerdt (@aerdt) April 12, 2015
And Dennis Fetcho explains that such weather conditions are rare for this time of the year:
Apparently snow in #Jerash and northern Jordan last night to go along with the snow in #Gaza. Not unheard of for April but certainly rare.
— Dennis Fetcho (@ItelRadio) April 12, 2015
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