Heavy Rains Flood Tents of Displaced Palestinians in Gaza as Storm Begins to Hit Palestine
Displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip woke up Wednesday to inches of water flooding their tents, after overnight heavy rainfall left their shelters and belongings soaked as a winter storm swept in with heavy rain and strong winds.
Gaza’s Government Media Office has called on the world to respond “to save the catastrophic humanitarian reality” in Gaza as cold weather and rain bears down on the enclave.
The storm Byron is set to hit on Wednesday and last until Friday, bringing with it heavy rains that will flood the tens of thousands of tents sheltering Gaza’s displaced people.
It is also set to bring heavy winds, fierce waves from the sea and thunderstorms, according to the Office.
The Office said the weather “may cause extensive damage to tens of thousands of families living in tents and primitive shelters that do not protect them from the cold winter or the harshness of weather lows.”
On Wednesday morning, Gaza’s Civil Defense warned that the coming hours are extremely dangerous and that Gaza may once again “witness a disaster as displaced families face severe flooding. We are in a very difficult situation, and global action is urgently needed to save Gaza from being submerged.”
The Gaza Municipality also confirmed that the storms pose a major threat to the displaced people and to residents due to the destruction of the infrastructure after two-year Israeli genocide.
It noted the Israeli occupation has destroyed more than 85% of the equipment, “which hinders our ability to assist the population,” adding “the situation in the Strip is catastrophic due to the storms and the severe shortage of essential supplies.”
Earlier, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticised Israeli restrictions on supplies going into Gaza.
Despite the UN providing tents, tarpaulins, blankets and winter clothes, more lasting preparedness for shelters and floods remains impossible, Stephane Dujarric told reporters.
“You will recall that a major impediment to shelter response is the restrictive registration requirements for NGOs imposed by the Israeli authorities,” Dujarric told reporters in a daily briefing.
“Many of our NGO partners remain blocked from bringing in relief, and nearly 4,000 pallets of shelter materials have been rejected by Israeli authorities,” he said.
“Gaza urgently needs heavy machinery, tools and many more shelter items to prevent catastrophic flooding,” he said
It is now the third winter displaced Palestinians have endured since the start of the two-year Israeli genocide.
Videos and photos circulating on social media show displaced families’ tents flooded by rain on Wednesday, with mattresses, blankets, and personal belongings soaked.