Heavy rains flood tens of thousands of tents in Gaza as winter conditions worsen

Heavy rains have flooded tens of thousands of tents sheltering displaced people across Gaza, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis. Residents were seen trying to clear water from their tents with pots and pans as the weather worsened. Some said they were left without shelter after the flooding.

A UNICEF representative for Palestine, Jonathan Veitch, said the situation was becoming more desperate because of restrictions on the entry of heavy machinery and supplies such as engine oil. He said aid workers were being stopped in the street by people begging for help, and described the flooding as affecting nearly everyone in need of assistance. The Hamas-run government in Gaza said about 70,000 tents had been flooded, while a spokesperson said the collapse of dozens of cracked walls and roofs had caused injuries, some of them critical.

The flooding comes as around 90% of Gaza residents have already been displaced by the war between Israel and Hamas, many of them more than once. Aid agencies have warned that the rainy season is likely to make conditions worse, especially as access to clean water and sanitation remains limited. Veitch said there were fewer tarpaulins, plastic sheeting and tents available in the Gaza Strip because of UN budget cuts, reducing the amount of emergency shelter that can be distributed.

The latest damage matters because it adds a weather emergency to a war-driven displacement crisis that has already left large numbers of people living in temporary shelters. Gaza has faced repeated humanitarian strain since the conflict began, and aid agencies have said winter conditions can be especially dangerous for people without proper housing. Veitch said last year's winter had already led to deaths from hypothermia, warning that the same could happen again without urgent action.

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The broader backdrop is a territory where aid delivery remains constrained and where civilian needs are being shaped by the continuing conflict. Veitch said Israeli restrictions on heavy machinery and supplies were making relief work harder, while the Hamas-run authorities said the flooding had damaged large numbers of tents and caused injuries. The reports also come against the backdrop of a ceasefire that came into force in Gaza in October last year, although Israeli air strikes have continued almost every day since then.

What remains unclear is the full scale of injuries and how many people have lost shelter entirely after the flooding. It is also not clear how quickly additional shelter materials can be brought in or whether conditions will improve as the rainy season continues. Aid agencies say the immediate focus is on emergency shelter, but they warn that without faster access and more supplies, the situation could deteriorate further.

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