West Bank and Gaza suffer extreme cold snap

Both Palestinian Authority (PA) and UNRWA extended mid-year school holidays as the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been experiencing a cold wave, the strongest for decades.

Palestinian Meteorological Department said that the cold snap will last until Wednesday, warning of floods and road closures due to the snow fall which is expected. It also warned of foggy weather from Tuesday until Thursday.

The Palestinian Civil Defence put its staff on alert, fearing any emergency across the Gaza Strip, where the sewage system and rainwater pumps are not functioning fully due to the decade-long Israeli siege.

Thousands of Gaza residents are still living in makeshift tents and caravans after their houses were destroyed during the 51-day Israeli offensive in 2014.

Others are living in partly damaged properties which are susceptible to rainwater and the cold weather as they have not been repaired following the war.

Two Israeli electricity lines which supply Gaza were cut at the start of the cold wave, increasing the plight of Gaza’s residents.

Images by MEMO photographer Mohammed Asad.