Shafaq News – Gaza

On Tuesday, torrential rainfall and severe flooding hit Gaza, causing widespread destruction of displacement camps.

Videos circulating online showed strong winds and heavy rain striking temporary shelters across the strip. Aid workers warned that continued rainfall could trigger new flooding in low-lying areas.

Thunderstorms and intense downpours overwhelmed displacement sites lacking drainage and basic protective infrastructure. Rescue teams said they were responding to “dozens of flooded tents” after seawater and storm runoff inundated the Al-Mawasi zone in Khan Younis. Families said many shelters collapsed or were submerged, forcing residents to move through deep mud and standing water.

The storm arrives as Gaza faces another winter with its infrastructure devastated by months of Israeli bombardment, which left most residential buildings destroyed or damaged and forced families into makeshift tents and plastic sheeting that offer little resistance to severe weather.

Humanitarian agencies warn that saturated ground, poor sanitation, and overcrowded camps heighten the risk of waterborne illnesses and respiratory infections, especially among children and the elderly.

Read more: Against the cold: Gaza's displaced facehumanitarian peril in winter 2025