Winter was a favorite season in Gaza. They were thought to bring “khayr” and “baraka” – goodness and blessings. Children and adults eagerly awaited the arrival of winter to relieve the heat of summer.
When it rained, the children would run on the streets, happily singing: “Shatti ya doniya shatti, wa arawi kul al-aradi, li-yazraa al-falah khokh wa roman wa tufah” – “Rain, earth, rain and water.” in all countries, so that the farmer can grow peaches, pomegranates and apples.”
For water-rich Gaza, the rain was indeed a blessing. Farmers welcomed them and started preparing for the new crop season. Markets are full of vegetables like spinach, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and fruits like oranges, kiwi, persimmons and strawberries.
For people living in the city, the rain will be a time to relax at home, curl up under warm blankets or gather around the fire to make tea or drink “sahleb” – a delicious drink made of milk, starch, coconut shreds and nuts.
On the occasional night when the electricity would be restored, families would sit comfortably in front of the TV to watch a movie or a soap opera.
When it was cold and dry, many people went to the beach to hang out or meet their friends. The aroma of roasted corn and peanuts fills the air. Many also stop at the famous “Abu Al Saoud” shop for warm kunafeh – either the Arabian one filled with nuts or the one filled with nabulsia cheese.
This Gaza winter now seems like a long time ago. The Abu Al Saoud store no longer exists. There are no sweet meetings and sweet chats, no sahleb, no TV. There are no children who sing “Shatti ya doniya shatti” when it is raining outside.
This year, winter did not bring khayer and baraka. It led to many problems and complete despair.
The rain has become a curse. People are praying for rain, fearing what the floodwaters will do to the refugee camps.
The sound of thunder is now like the sound of bombs – it is terrifying. Many Palestinians have no shelter from the storm. Aid groups estimate that nearly one million people lack the necessary protection from the cold weather.
Shelters are made from cloth, cloth, blankets, cardboard and even old rice sacks. They cannot withstand wind and rain. At night, families are forced to stay awake, keeping their tents from flying away, as water seeps into the ground, soaking their mattresses, blankets and belongings.
Often, the shelters are so fragile that the rain destroys them, leaving desperate families who had already lost everything. The prices of tents and equipment for building theaters have risen so much that people whose houses are blown away by the wind or washed away by the wind.
Some are so desperate that they retreat to their bombed-out homes to hide. Even if the building is so damaged that it could collapse at any moment, people still live in it, doing nothing else.
The heat is also unbearable. Prices have been unaffordable for many; 1kg now costs $9. Those who can't afford it must start looking for it themselves – tedious, tedious work. Even if there is enough wood for the fire, that is not enough to keep the family warm through the winter night.
What makes the winter more unbearable is hunger. Since October, food prices in Gaza have skyrocketed. A bag of flour costs about $200. Meat and fish have completely disappeared from the markets; vegetables and fruits are rare and very expensive.
The bakery has closed because it has no cooks. UNRWA and the World Food Programme, which often provide assistance to the most vulnerable, are unable to address the needs. Soup kitchens distribute meals of peas, lentils and rice, but each family receives only one bowl, not enough for one person.
At night, in every refugee camp, the cries of hungry children can be heard as they ask their parents to give them food.
The memories of love and joy that once filled homes in Gaza's winters have faded. Despair and misery reign in winter. The suffering of the Palestinian people does not seem to end. Many survive because of the hope that war and genocide will end, food will be available again and people will have a better place to live. Khayr and that baraka will return to Gaza one day.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect Al Jazeera's influence.