Flooding Worsens Crisis for Displaced Gazans as Israeli Strikes Intensify

Heavy rains compounded the dire situation for displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, flooding tent encampments and leaving thousands in desperate need of shelter. The flooding follows over a year of conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has already devastated the enclave.

Downpours overnight washed away makeshift tents and inundated shelters, with many families resorting to digging trenches and using buckets to keep water out. The Hamas-run Gaza government said that approximately 10,000 tents were either destroyed or severely damaged by the storm.

“According to government field assessment teams, 81% of the displaced persons’ tents are no longer usable,” said a statement from Gaza’s media office. Of 135,000 tents, around 110,000 urgently need replacement.

Families like that of Suad Al-Sabea, a mother of six, are now facing new threats. Rain ruined the flour she uses to bake bread for a living, and her shelter, inside a damaged school, provides little protection. “I was scared of life or death, now we worry about the rain,” Al-Sabea said. “The dough drowned in water, and it was raining on top of my head.”

Meanwhile, in coastal areas, storm surges and heavy waves caused further devastation. “The sea took away my little daughter; thank God we were able to rescue her,” said Mariam Abu Saqer, whose tent was swept away.

The UN refugee agency UNRWA said that half a million people are at risk in flood-prone areas. “The situation will only get worse with every drop of rain, every bomb, every strike,” the agency warned in a statement.