Already uprooted by war, Gaza families now face floodwaters and freezing conditions

In Gaza City, heavy rains on Saturday deluged tens of thousands of tents housing displaced individuals, according to Palestinian authorities. The Hamas-run government media office reported that roughly "70,000 tents sheltering tens of thousands of displaced people" were inundated on the first day of the rainfall. The devastation extended beyond flooded tents, with "dozens of cracked walls and roofs collapsing, causing injuries," some of which were critical, in various areas of the tiny territory.

Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal reported that his teams have received over 1,500 calls from residents requesting urgent assistance after their tents were flooded, stating that the agency "is operating without any equipment or capabilities." Gaza residents are facing a dire situation, with Um Muhammad al-Hersh, 45, noting that "we were not able to save the mattresses, and all the clothes were soaked.

Our suffering is repeated every winter." Maryam Odeh, 34, echoed this sentiment, expressing her inability to protect her children and her inability to answer their nightly question about where they will sleep. Khaled al-Najjar, 41, warned of the dangers posed by both flooding and cold temperatures, alongside the risk of widespread diseases.

A coalition of Palestinian civil society organizations has warned of a "catastrophe" threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents, calling for pressure on Israel to allow unrestricted humanitarian aid entry. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority has also called for immediate international action, citing how Israel's ongoing war has worsened the dire living conditions in Gaza since the fragile ceasefire came into effect on October 10, 2025.

Gaza city council member Mustafa Qazzaat highlighted the urgent need for 200,000 prefabricated homes and the entry of heavy machinery to clear rubble, open main roads, and provide electricity and heating.