Heavy Storms Leave Thousands of Displaced Gaza Families Without Shelter
Thousands of displaced Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip have been left exposed to harsh weather after heavy rainfall and powerful winds damaged or flooded approximately 70,000 tents. Officials warned that damaged infrastructure and a severe shortage of emergency equipment were making rescue and relief operations increasingly difficult.
The storm began late Friday and also caused dozens of walls to collapse, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office. Initial estimates put the financial losses at approximately $3 million.
Medical sources told Anadolu that five Palestinians were injured after two walls of buildings previously damaged by Israeli attacks collapsed. A falling sheet of corrugated metal also caused injuries during the severe weather.
Hosni Muhanna, spokesperson for Gaza Municipality, said families whose temporary shelters had been destroyed were struggling to find alternative accommodation.
He explained that nearly one million residents and displaced people were living within approximately 30% of Gaza City’s territory, placing enormous pressure on already devastated infrastructure.
According to Muhanna, Gaza City recorded 60 millimeters of rainfall within 12 hours, equivalent to around 15% of its annual precipitation. Strong winds destroyed or tore apart numerous tents, while rainwater entered shelters and flooded living spaces.
Municipal authorities received approximately 250 emergency reports involving flooded roads, soil erosion and blocked drainage systems. Response teams managed to address most incidents despite operating with extremely limited resources.
Muhanna further warned that around 270 displacement camps and shelter locations across Gaza City were vulnerable to flooding. Years of destruction have reduced the drainage network’s operational capacity to just 20%, leaving communities in low-lying areas particularly exposed.
He called for the full reopening of border crossings to allow winter supplies, humanitarian assistance and heavy machinery to enter the territory.
Meanwhile, Abdullah al-Majdalawi, director of public relations at Gaza’s Civil Defense, said emergency teams had received hundreds of distress calls since the storm began.
Most reports involved flooded displacement camps, damaged tents and unstable buildings or walls threatening shelters occupied by displaced families.
Al-Majdalawi explained that rescuers could respond to immediate threats to human life but lacked the necessary resources to provide replacement accommodation for those who had lost their shelters.
He described scenes of entire camps submerged in water, with tents, personal belongings, furniture and bedding destroyed. Thousands of temporary shelters have reportedly been damaged, forcing families to remain exposed to the elements.
He blamed Israel’s blockade and restrictions on mobile homes and construction materials for preventing displaced Palestinians from accessing safer housing alternatives.
Humanitarian crisis and growing shelter needs
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, reported Thursday that approximately 1.98 million people, representing nearly 94% of Gaza’s population, required shelter and other essential assistance. The figures were based on surveys conducted in June, with 58% of those assessed facing critical or catastrophic housing conditions.
In October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that approximately 950,000 Palestinians were living in displacement locations exposed to moderate or severe flooding risks. More than 400,000 were situated in areas classified as high risk.
Israel’s military campaign, which began in October 2023, has devastated residential buildings and essential infrastructure throughout Gaza. Despite the ceasefire that took effect in October 2025, reconstruction and emergency shelter requirements continue to exceed available humanitarian assistance.
Continued Israeli restrictions on construction materials and essential supplies have further complicated efforts to repair damaged homes and establish adequate temporary accommodation.
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