Gaza floods submerge tens of thousands of tents housing displaced families

Intense rainfall has swept across the Gaza Strip, submerging encampments and leaving tens of thousands of displaced residents without cover, according to local officials.

The government media office in the territory stated that roughly 70,000 tents were inundated during the initial day of downpours. The adverse weather also triggered the collapse of damaged building walls and ceilings across multiple districts, resulting in several injuries, including individuals left in critical condition.

Emergency personnel reported severe constraints in addressing the crisis. Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for the local civil defence service, said emergency teams logged upwards of 1,500 overnight calls from families seeking urgent help. He stated that rescue workers are attempting to respond without necessary machinery or operational tools, prompting an urgent international appeal for humanitarian intervention to aid affected families.

The flooding prompted hundreds of households to abandon waterlogged makeshift settlements across northern areas, central districts, and parts of Gaza City. Residents described waking to water rushing through their living spaces, destroying bedding, clothing, and essential belongings. Parents expressed mounting alarm over dropping temperatures and the threat of illness among children living in wet conditions.

A coalition representing dozens of Palestinian non-governmental organizations warned that the extreme weather poses a grave humanitarian danger to hundreds of thousands of civilians, heightening the risk of disease outbreaks. The coalition urged foreign governments to exert pressure on Israel to facilitate the unrestricted passage of aid consignments into the enclave.

Municipal authorities noted that severe shortages of temporary housing have compounded the disaster. Mustafa Qazzaat, an official on Gaza's emergency committee and a member of the city council, said the territory requires approximately 200,000 prefabricated dwellings, along with heavy earth-moving equipment to clear debris from blocked streets, restore basic electrical supplies, and provide winter heating. He added that only limited shipments of basic tents have been permitted through crossings.

The weather emergency comes against the backdrop of immense destruction across the territory following the war that began in October 2023. Although a truce took effect in October 2025 under mediation by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, conditions remain fragile and daily Israeli air and ground activities have continued.