Palestinian Civil Defence reports more than 1,500 emergency calls as thousands of tents and shelters destroyed after heavy rains.
Save
Share
Flooding caused by heavy rains has damaged shelters and tents belonging to tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, authorities said.
Reporting from Gaza City in northern Gaza on Sunday, Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili said the makeshift tents many Palestinians have been forced to live in do not provide adequate shelter from harsh weather.
“The latest storm exposed just how fragile the protection is. In just a few hours, heavy rains and strong winds tore through shelters families had spent days trying to reinforce,” al-Khalili said.
He reported seeing soaked mattresses, pillows and clothes, saying nearly 400,000 displaced Palestinians are sheltering in locations considered “highly vulnerable” to more flooding.
Ahmad Alhendawi, regional director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe at Save the Children International, said the situation was “heartbreaking” and “entirely foreseeable”.
“Our staff in Gaza tell us that over the weekend, while families slept, water flooded their tents and engulfed entire camps. Children shivered in the bitter cold without winter clothing, and families lost the few belongings they had left,” he said in a statement.
“This is not simply the result of bad weather. Tents, shelter kits and fuel are waiting at Gaza’s borders while children sleep in floodwater, because the Israeli authorities are blocking their entry. This is a choice, and children are paying the price,” he added.
Heavy rain and strong winds have hit Gaza since late Friday, flooding 70,000 tents and bringing down dozens of walls, according to the Government Media Office.
The flooding comes amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as Israel continues to impose severe restrictions on aid supplies to the war-ravaged territory.
Reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Ashraf Abu Amra said displaced families whose shelters were flooded had not received food aid since early Saturday.
Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF special representative in Palestine, said the majority of people are living in “terrible conditions” and called for more funding to provide much-needed aid.
Gaza’s Government Media Office reports the storm caused damage estimated at $3m. But relief organisations have been struggling for years to bring in relief and support.
The Gaza Civil Defence said it received at least 1,500 emergency calls. The agency said more than 2,000 buildings are at risk of collapse and that at least 300,000 tents are needed to provide adequate shelter for displaced people affected by the weather conditions.
Israel’s genocidal war, which began on October 7, 2023, has devastated homes and infrastructure in Gaza, and continuing restrictions on aid, shelter supplies and reconstruction materials have hampered relief efforts.
More than 74,640 people have been killed since the genocidal war began on October 7, 2023, in response to a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. Since a “ceasefire” took effect in October 2025, Israel has killed at least 1,610 Palestinians.
Follow Al Jazeera English:
About the Author
