{
  "id": 19136738,
  "title": "PM directs foreign ministry to urgently ‘escalate humanitarian assistance’ for rain-hit Gaza",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/pm-directs-foreign-ministry-to-urgently-escalate-humanitarian-19136738",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-09T09:51:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2043256/pm-directs-foreign-ministry-to-urgently-escalate-humanitarian-assistance-for-rain-hit-gaza"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the foreign ministry to swiftly \"escalate humanitarian assistance\" to Gaza, where intense rainfall has inundated tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians. At least 70,000 tents have reportedly been flooded within the past 12 hours, impacting a large number of displaced individuals and causing injuries. Despite no fatalities being reported, the rains have also destroyed shelters, according to authorities.\n\nGaza's civil defense service has received 1,500 distress calls from displaced residents, overwhelmed by the situation. Municipal and civil defense officials admitted their inability to cope with the storm due to fuel shortages and damaged equipment. They further accused Israel of destroying hundreds of vehicles, including those used for water pumping, during their assault on Gaza.\n\nThe Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the distressing images from Gaza, where families are trapped in flooded tents, facing starvation and extreme cold. He directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pursue all possible means to urgently escalate humanitarian assistance. The premier also strongly condemned Israeli actions violating the ceasefire and international law, as well as the continued aggression against the Palestinian people.\n\nGaza has endured Israeli assault since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to Palestinian authorities, over 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel's assault began. The US-brokered Gaza ceasefire, which calls for the eventual reconstruction of the territory, has seen little progress, and Israeli forces have continued to violate the ceasefire. Israeli forces still control more than 60% of the territory and conduct almost daily airstrikes, while Hamas controls most of the area where over two million Palestinians reside, primarily in temporary shelters with inadequate aid supplies.\n\nHeavy rains and subsequent flooding have further exacerbated the already dire conditions. Residents attempted to repair their tents, reinforce them with sand, and protect their children from the water. Olfat Magdoub, a Gaza resident, expressed her anxiety, mentioning that this is only the first day of rain, and they are already overwhelmed. She worried about the future if the rain returns.",
  "summary": "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday he had directed the foreign ministry to pursue all possible means to urgently “escalate humanitarian assistance” to Gaza, where heavy rains have flooded tens of thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians. The Gaza government media office said on Sunday that at least 70,000 tents had been flooded in the past 12 hours, affecting tens of thousands…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Israel approves initial 250 foreign troops for Gaza as US prepares multinational force",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/israel-approves-initial-250-foreign-troops-for-gaza-as-us-prepares",
        "published": "2026-11-09T05:56:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}