Gaza: Qatar Charity (QC) has distributed the first batch of aid to displaced families in the southern Gaza Strip, under its How Long winter campaign, as part of the generous support of donors in Qatar. The aid included blankets and winter clothing. According to Qatar News Agency, the aid was provided to mitigate the harsh cold and bring warmth to children and displaced families, coinciding with the drop in temperatures and rainfall in Gaza a few days ago, which resulted in heavy rains that submerged the tents of displaced people, causing severe damage in the central and southern Gaza Strip. This aid is part of the Urgent Aid Distribution for Displaced Families in Gaza project, in collaboration with the team of MERCY Worldwide, which includes life-saving food and non-food assistance to alleviate the suffering of displaced families during winter, and includes over 4,600 blankets, 18,000 winter clothing packages, and shoes for both children and adults. Soon, the project will also distribute 6,000 food packages . The displaced families who benefited from this aid expressed their heartfelt thanks to the generous people of Qatar for extending a helping hand. They emphasized that the support came at the perfect time, particularly given the shortage of winter supplies and the severe cold they are facing, as well as the lack of aid reaching the Gaza Strip. QC launched the How Long relief campaign for the 2024-2025 winter season last month, to deliver humanitarian aid worth QR 72 million across 25 countries, including Qatar, with a special focus on crisis-affected regions. Given the severe humanitarian conditions in crisis and disaster-affected regions, where the onset of winter exacerbates the suffering of the affected people, the campaign will prioritize providing aid to these regions, with special focus on Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, Yemen, and northern Syria, in addition to regions experiencing extreme cold worldwide.