Now that the northern hemisphere has entered winter, many places are embracing a festive atmosphere. In Gaza, it has brought more suffering. Cold weather and rain are making life more unbearable for Gaza’s 1.9 million displaced Palestinians.

It has rained heavily several times. Each time, the displaced people’s tents were flooded, damaged or destroyed, and what little belongings some people had were swept away.

This leaves many poor families even poorer. A new tent in Gaza currently sells for up to $1,000. A makeshift shelter — made of wood and plastic for shelter — costs hundreds of dollars. A new blanket can cost up to $100. No one in the refugee camp had that much money.

Many displaced people fled the bombs carrying only the clothes on their backs. Some people tried to salvage clothes from the rubble, but few succeeded.

As winter approaches, the price of clothes skyrockets. A pair of lightweight pajamas is now on sale for $95; a coat – up to $100. A pair of shoes is a rare commodity, selling for up to $75. Second-hand clothing markets have popped up across Gaza to meet huge demand, but prices there are also too high.

As a result, the camp was filled with people shivering in the cold wearing thin summer clothes. Children walked barefoot through mud and puddles.

Fuel for heating is either unavailable or unaffordable for most households. The cost of 8 kilograms of gasoline has reached $72. Wood is a bit scarce, but also too expensive for most people.

Lack of clothing and heating fuel increases the risk of colds, flu and other illnesses during the winter, which can be life-threatening in Gaza. Malnourished, fragile bodies, exhausted by fear and trauma, were unable to fight off even a common cold.

Gaza’s hospitals are barely functioning, caring mainly for people seriously injured in the bombings. Due to a lack of supplies and personnel, they can no longer provide care for simple illnesses.

The disease also spread because sanitary conditions were almost impossible to maintain. Living in tents with no access to warm water, displaced people are unable to bathe and sometimes even wash their hands. A bar of soap now costs $5, while a bottle of shampoo costs as much as $23.

But perhaps the most unbearable fact of life in Gaza right now is famine. Humanitarian aid entering Gaza has been significantly reduced since October, and we are already feeling its devastating impact across the Strip. It wasn’t just the North that was experiencing famine. All over Gaza.

The price for what little food there was was unbelievable. A bag of flour now costs more than $300. Other food items have also become expensive. A kilogram (2.2 pounds) of lentils or a kilogram of rice sells for $7. Vegetables are hard to find and expensive; 1 kilogram of tomatoes is $14; an onion is $2. Red meat and chicken were nowhere to be found. We haven’t seen anyone in months.

Bakeries that were once a lifeline for families are closing due to lack of access to supplies. Bread, the simplest and most basic food, has become a luxury that few of us can afford. Even if a family is able to buy flour, it is often infested with bugs and doesn’t taste fresh.

People are now forced to rely on “takaya” – charity soup kitchens – which provide meager amounts of food, barely enough to feed a family. The organizations opened their doors at 11:00 a.m., resulting in long lines in front of their distribution centers. Most families who manage to get a meal from them have nothing else to feed their children.

Hunger is not limited to the physical pain experienced by hungry people. The psychological impact is also intolerable. During long, cold nights, parents are forced to watch their children cry for food. Some parents also had to watch their children die of hunger. This kind of psychological torture is unmatched by anything else.

As I write these words, I myself am starving and have not eaten anything since morning. As I looked around, I saw children and adults, pale, thin, exhausted from hunger and cold. I wonder how much more they can take? How much more can we take?

The cruelest part of this pain is the silence of the world, watching from afar without taking action. When the cold gets to us and hunger makes things worse, we feel isolated and abandoned, like we’re cut off from the rest of humanity. As much of the world prepares for the holidays, we also prepare to face loneliness, despair, and death.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.