Heavy rain floods tents housing Gaza displaced people, aid shortages hamper response
- On Saturday, November 7, heavy rains flooded about 70,000 tents across the Gaza Strip, with water levels rising 30–40 cm in several shelter sites and soaking mattresses and blankets, the Hamas-run government media office reported.
- The storm exposed extreme vulnerability as war-damaged infrastructure left shelters exposed to weather, while Israel has prohibited prefabricated homes from entering Gaza since the October 2025 ceasefire, forcing displaced families to rely on failing tents.
- Dozens of cracked walls and roofs collapsed during the downpour, injuring at least two people in northern Gaza, while families reported being overwhelmed as they struggled to protect children and belongings from rising water.
- Civil defence teams received over 1,500 distress calls in 10 hours, but spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal told AFP the agency is "operating without any equipment or capabilities" to effectively assist stranded families.
- Winter conditions threaten to worsen the humanitarian crisis as aid groups warn Gaza urgently requires 200,000 prefabricated homes; logistical hurdles and Israeli restrictions on heavy machinery leave displaced residents facing catastrophic shelter shortages.
244 Articles
244 Articles
Five displaced persons, including three minors and two women, were killed by the collapse of a slope over shops in Gaza, due to heavy rains.
The collapse also left six people injured and could be found trapped in the tents where Palestinians displaced by Israel must live affected by the sand.
At least 70,000 tents flooded in Gaza's first major winter storm as rescue teams say they lack the equipment and fuel to respond
Gaza's first major winter storm flooded at least 70,000 displacement tents, affecting an estimated 350,000 people as damaged infrastructure, fuel shortages and limited aid hindered emergency response.
Strong rain has flooded parts of the Gaza Strip. According to the Minister of Health, one million displaced persons no longer have a roof over their head. Relief organizations fear a humanitarian catastrophe. By J.-C. Kitzler.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have tents and temporary shelters as their only “home.” They had nowhere else to go when the storm hit.
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