Heavy rains have flooded over 70,000 tents in Gaza, displacing families as promised shelter remains blocked, Al Jazeera reported.
The deluge turned displacement camps into swimming pools, soaking belongings and leaving hundreds of thousands exposed to the elements. Palestinian media reported the storms began late Friday, flooding 70,000 tents and bringing down dozens of walls.
Gaza’s Winter in Tents
In the az-Zawayda area, water rushed into Jaber al-Kaseeh’s tent, waking him and his family as their mattresses and carpets soaked through. “Everyone woke up and stayed awake, asking their neighbours about the extent of damage,” he told Al Jazeera, describing the area outside as a “swimming pool.” Jaber, originally from Beit Lahiya, has been displaced several times since October 2023.
At WCK, no tool has only one purpose. Families in Gaza are bracing to face another winter living in tents. Rising tides can mean cold seawater can make its way into the tents of people sheltering along the coast. That's why WCK is working closely with our local partners at the… pic.twitter.com/saWpXuU5Tv
More than 90% of Palestinians have been displaced by the war, with hundreds of thousands now in “highly vulnerable” camps. The Gaza Government Media Office says 70,000 tents have been flooded since rains began late Friday, a figure corroborated by DW.com, which notes the storms have left tents washed away and blankets soaked.
The suffering is particularly acute for children. Save the Children reports over 560,000 children are in “critical or catastrophic” shelter conditions, with many shivering in the cold without winter clothing. Last year, 11 children died from hypothermia—a fate aid groups say is entirely preventable.
Following the weekend's rainfall in the Gaza Strip, COGAT continues to monitor the humanitarian situation on the ground and conduct situation assessments in collaboration with the UN and international organizations, coordinating a response based on the needs of the population.…
Promised Shelter, Unmet Needs
The flooding shows a bitter reality: despite a ceasefire deal promising 60,000 mobile homes and 200,000 tents, Israel has allowed only 20,000 tents to enter. The mobile homes remain parked on the Egyptian side, many of them for more than two years.
Israel’s restrictions extend to essential supplies. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel as the occupying power is obligated to ensure civilian access to essential supplies—a point echoed by The Express Tribune, which notes two Palestinians were injured when rain caused a damaged building’s wall to collapse.
The war, which began after Hamas and its affiliates launched an attack in southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people, has resulted in more than 74,000 deaths in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.
Ahead of the upcoming rainfall, COGAT continues to intensify its efforts to improve sanitation conditions across the Gaza Strip, in coordination with the international community. This week, four additional vacuum trucks entered Gaza through the @ICRC, joining eight vacuum trucks… pic.twitter.com/3KMKI6YPrL
For Om Hani Hamouda, a displaced woman from Beit Lahiya, the dream of a caravan feels distant. “These tents do not protect us from the cold, storms or rain,” she told Al Jazeera. “We are asking for a dignified life.”
Om Hani previously lived and worked in the United Arab Emirates for over 15 years before returning to Gaza nearly two years before the conflict began. My children cry because they miss the life we had there,
she said.
Humanitarian Aid Appeal Grows Desperate
The crisis reverberates beyond Gaza’s borders. The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine has appealed for urgent humanitarian aid, warning the situation has become catastrophic. With 1.6 million of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents now in tents or makeshift shelters, and 80% of structures damaged, the territory’s instability threatens regional stability and complicates international relief efforts.
Approximately 950,000 people live in areas vulnerable to flooding, with over 400,000 in high-risk zones, including Al-Mawasi in western Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, and parts of Gaza City, northern Gaza, and Rafah.
Ahmad Alhendawi, Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe at Save the Children International, said that the situation is not simply the result of bad weather, noting that tents, shelter kits and fuel are waiting at Gaza’s borders while children sleep in floodwater because the Israeli authorities are blocking their entry.
He stated that this is a choice and children are paying the price. We have seen nothing,
Dawwas said regarding promised shelter.
The legal dimensions are stark. The UN, EU, and US consider Hamas a terrorist organization, but a UN commission of inquiry and human rights groups have accused Israel of committing genocide. Israel rejects this, insisting its military actions comply with international law.
Winter Flooding Worsens Shelter Crisis
The geopolitical stakes are high.
| Gaza Shelter Crisis Data | Figures |
|---|---|
| Tents flooded since rains began | 70,000+ |
| Palestinians in “highly vulnerable” camps | Hundreds of thousands |
| Children in critical shelter conditions | 560,000+ |
| Mobile homes allowed into Gaza | 0 (60,000 blocked) |
As winter deepens, water is flooding tents in Gaza, forcing displaced families to sleep in the bitter cold, as Jaber al-Kaseeh put it, ‘like swimming pools.’.
Heavy rains have flooded tents in Gaza, while Israeli settlers have seized homes in Jericho and Israeli forces raided a Bedouin village in the occupied West Bank. Al Jazeera’s Nour Hegazy has the latest. pic.twitter.com/5d0PcFlMH2
Earlier coverage: Heavy Rain Floods Gaza Displacement Camps Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
