Heavy Rain Floods 70,000 Displacement Tents Across the Gaza Strip

Winter storm rains inundated tent encampments across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, flooding an estimated 70,000 shelters within 12 hours.

Gaza's government media office reported that water swamped tens of thousands of displaced residents, destroying mattresses, blankets, and temporary housing. The flooding caused several injuries, though no fatalities were confirmed. Water levels in several encampments rose between 30 and 40 centimeters, forcing hundreds of families to flee sites in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and northern Gaza.

Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal reported that crews logged roughly 1,500 emergency calls overnight while operating without necessary equipment, bulldozers, or water pumps. The storm brought down damaged residential walls and cracked structures, including three abandoned homes that collapsed without causing casualties. Gaza's media office placed initial financial losses at $3 million and blamed Israeli border closures for blocking the entry of replacement shelters and construction supplies.

Hamas urged international agencies to intervene immediately to protect displaced populations from winter exposure and spreading disease. The Israeli military coordination office, COGAT, did not directly address the accusations on Saturday, having stated Friday that it coordinated with international organizations to enhance sanitation and drainage infrastructure ahead of the anticipated rainfall. Most of Gaza's population of more than 2 million remains displaced in temporary camps following months of armed conflict.