Photos: Sandstorm hits Gaza Strip

Editor’s note: This is the latest photo essay by Rizek Abdel Jawad, a photojournalist from Gaza City whose work has previously been featured in these pages, documenting life in the shadow of Israel’s genocidal assault on the besieged territory.

A sandstorm struck the Gaza Strip on Saturday, with strong winds reaching about 90 kilometres per hour.

General Directorate of Civil Defence in the Gaza Strip advised residents to avoid leaving their homes, shelters, or tents unless absolutely necessary, especially those with respiratory illnesses.

Civil Defence also stressed the importance of wearing a mask or covering the nose with a damp cloth when going outside and advised residents to avoid exposing their eyes in the storm.

The statement urged residents to secure their tents against the strong winds, especially displaced people living along the beach and coastal areas.

Scattered areas of the Gaza Strip saw tents belonging to displaced people being blown away by the storm.

Rizek Abdel Jawad is a photojournalist based in Gaza City. To see more of his work, follow him on Instagram and Facebook. He is part of the Connecting Gaza initiative, which helps families in Gaza survive. You can support them by going to www.connectinggaza.org/donate.