Rafa Gaze Strip – Out of options and solutions, parents in Gaza dress their children in white medical coveralls, part of a COVID-19 personal protective equipment kit, in a desperate effort to keep them warm and dry. I resorted to putting it on.
Displaced people in Gaza suffer from the bitter winter cold, with little protection from the elements other than tents, which are flimsy at best.
For many of the 1.4 million people crammed into Rafah after fleeing other parts of Gaza, the only thing they own is the clothes they're wearing. If these get wet, there is little chance of them drying out again in the cold.
In some areas, teams are distributing leftover white coveralls from the pandemic. The lining is plastic, which helps keep out at least some moisture.
“Like an astronaut”
Wearing coveralls, Nour Al Bayuk, 11, explains that he came here from Maan with his parents and sister to escape the bombing.
“We came here to [European] Stayed in a tent at the hospital. The tent is very cold and does not protect us from heavy rain. ”
When a truck loaded with white coveralls arrived, he and his sisters rushed to get them. Now they live there day and night.
“I'm warm so water doesn't get into my clothes,” says Noor. “There are no replacement clothes at all. If your clothes get wet, you won't be able to find anything else to wear.
“At first it looked funny and scary. I felt like I looked like someone going into surgery or an astronaut.
“Every time I see myself in the car window, I laugh.''
Now it has become a familiar sight as more and more children are doing the same thing.
“There are a lot of cold tents in the hospital,” says Noor. “I used to live in a room with a warm mattress, but I left there and came here in search of safety. Every day I hear bombing sounds. The tanks never stopped for a second.”
At one point it appeared that the tanks had withdrawn from Maan, but Noor's father attempted to go to their home to retrieve more clothes.
“But the quadcopter opened fire on them and he couldn't reach the house. That's why we found this suit as an opportunity to protect himself from the cold and rain.”
Raeda al-Khair, 35, from the northern city of Gaza, was able to find space for her family at the European Hospital in Rafah in December. They had fled Khan Yunis, where they took shelter until tanks moved in in early December.
she says: “We came here with nothing. We were thinking of going back home. I slept on the tiles in the hospital hallway. The extreme cold made my body and my child Our bodies were exhausted.”
Her husband set up an improvised tent made of plastic sheets and hospital blankets in the garden outside the hospital. But the cold is getting worse and the family is struggling.
“When it rains, my children catch colds and want to cry. My children haven't been able to recover since the evacuation began.”
Al Khail saw a nearby family dressing their children in coveralls and decided to do the same.
“They say it's lined from the inside to keep water out. As mothers, it's important because our children don't have alternative clothes and we don't have a place to wash or dry them. That's a good idea.”
She says living in a tent is becoming unbearable. “Two mornings ago, my five-year-old daughter Salma woke up wet from the rain. She was shivering very much from the cold. She was very unwell and had a high fever.
“They come in a variety of sizes and anyone can wear them, so I went looking for them for my girlfriend too.”
“I hope this nightmare ends.”
Salem Baris, 55, fled to Al Mawashi with her children and grandchildren, including a total of 10 small children dressed in white coveralls.
He told Al Jazeera that he came to this area of Rafah from Khan Younis when it became too dangerous to stay.
“Suddenly, tanks moved in behind Al-Khair Hospital and Al-Aqsa University.” [in Khan Younis]. I left with my children and grandchildren, over 10 children.
“I had not left my house since the war started, but I was forced to leave when tank shells hit my house. There were clashes between the army and the resistance. I was worried that one of my sons might get hurt.
“We stood at the checkpoint and waited for permission until the military allowed us to enter. I looked at the aquarium while holding my grandson and was very scared. I was scared because I saw it.”
Barris brought his family to join his cousins who had set up two tents in Rafah. “When we arrived, the children were wet from the rain and sick. They had very bad colds. I noticed that my cousin had a lot of white uniforms, and the children They didn’t like it.”
Before wearing coveralls, Burris said, she had to sit with her children in the sun for hours until their clothes dried.
Nylon coveralls have improved the situation, he says.
“We are trying to get through the war, but the situation is very difficult. I hope this nightmare is over and we can go home soon.”