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Winter Storm Floods Tents Across Gaza Strip
Heavy rainfall has flooded thousands of temporary tents throughout the Gaza Strip, driving displaced Palestinian families into the cold as the initial winter storm of the season impacted the territory. The civil defence agency reported receiving approximately 1,500 emergency calls within a 10-hour window after the rain commenced on Saturday morning, with water accumulation reaching up to 40 cm in multiple shelter locations.
Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal stated that several shelter sites experienced complete flooding, displacing everyone inside. Vulnerable populations, including the elderly, the sick, and premature babies, face heightened risks of illness and danger.
Infrastructure Damage and Rescue Operations
The severe weather conditions also caused structural failures in buildings already compromised by the ongoing conflict that began in October 2023. Rescue teams evacuated inhabitants from a partially collapsed building in the central Nuseirat area driven by strong winds and precipitation. Additionally, a structural wall collapsed in northern Gaza due to heavy rain, resulting in two injuries.
Visual documentation from displacement camps in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Deir el-Balah depicted residents navigating ankle-deep water. Mattresses and blankets were drenched, and individuals stood in muddy and sewage-mixed pools.
Impact on Coastal Shelters and Vulnerable Populations
In al-Mawasi, a southern coastal region housing over 900,000 displaced individuals, rainfall persisted overnight. Reports indicated that more than 125,000 families residing along coastal zones faced elevated risks of losing their tents to rising waters. Estimates from Gaza's emergency committee indicate that more than one million displaced persons encounter severe winter hazards, requiring roughly 200,000 tents and essential heating materials.
Aid Shortages and Restrictions
Officials from civil defence and aid networks highlighted a severe shortage of supplies. Raed al-Dahshan, director of civil defence in Gaza governorate, noted that response teams lacked tarpaulins and replacement tents to assist affected households.
Aid organizations attribute the shortage to ongoing restrictions on the importation of shelter materials. Mohammed Salha, director of the Palestinian NGO Network, stated that daily truck entries fall well below required levels, leaving tens of thousands of tents stranded on the Egyptian side of the border while communities confront worsening winter conditions.
Source: Rains flood thousands of displaced families’ tents in Gaza