Heavy rains on Saturday resulted in flooding of tents for thousands of displaced people in Gaza, creating a critical situation for residents in the area. Palestinian officials reported that around 70,000 tents, which housed tens of thousands of displaced individuals, were flooded on the first day of the rains.
Emergency Situation and Need for Humanitarian Assistance
The media office of the Hamas government emphasized that following these rains, "the collapse of walls and damaged roofs" resulted in injuries to several residents in various areas of Gaza. Since Saturday morning, hundreds of displaced families have been fleeing from camps in different parts of Gaza.
Read more: Lebanon Raises Charges Against Two Hezbollah Members
Mohammad Basal, spokesman for the Civil Defense Organization, announced that his teams have received over 1,500 calls from residents requesting urgent assistance, adding that the organization is operating "without any equipment or facilities." He also urged the international community and humanitarian organizations to take immediate action to rescue the displaced from the critical conditions.
Severe Impacts on the Lives of Displaced People
Um Mohammad Al-Harish, 45, who lives with her family in a tent in western Gaza, stated: "We couldn't save the mattresses and all our clothes are soaked. Our suffering repeats every winter."
Maryam Awad, 34, who lives with her children in Deir al-Balah, said: "We no longer know how to protect our children. My children ask me where we will sleep tonight, and I have no answer."
Khaled Al-Najjar, 41, expressed his concerns about the dangers posed by the flooding of tents, as well as the cold and the spread of diseases. A coalition of Palestinian civil society organizations issued a statement highlighting the serious risks to the lives of residents and called for pressure on Israel to allow unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid.
A fragile ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, 2025, followed two years of war that began after Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, the Israeli army continues its airstrikes and ground operations.
Mustafa Qazat, a member of the Gaza City Council and an official in the emergency committee for the region, stated that since the ceasefire was announced, Israel has not allowed the entry of prefabricated homes for the displaced and has only permitted a limited number of tents. He added: "Gaza urgently needs 200,000 prefabricated homes, and heavy equipment must also be provided to remove the rubble of houses and supply electricity and heating."
Read more: Pedro Aliana: New President of Paraguay Amid Political Crisis · The Situation of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank After Israel's Elections
