Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Araghchi to Grossi: These parties will bear responsibility for the consequences of their actions
Araghchi to Grossi: Iran will respond to any unlawful action by European countries or parties attempting to turn the Agency into a tool for achieving their objectives
Araghchi to Grossi: We urge the Agency to warn against the consequences of any political move against Iran
Araghchi to Grossi: We call on the Agency to highlight Iran’s full cooperation during the upcoming Board of Governors meeting next week
Araghchi to Grossi: We demand that the Agency reflect the facts in a manner that prevents certain parties from exploiting it to advance their political agendas
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a phone call with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi
Trump envoy Witkoff has sent 'detailed and acceptable proposal' to Iran for nuclear deal; it's in their best interest to accept it: White House Press Secretary Leavitt
Hamas official says Witkoff's position toward group was 'unfair' and shows 'complete bias' to 'Israel'
Hamas official says it has considered Witkoff's proposal acceptable for negotiations, says 'Israel's' response was incompatible with what the group agreed on
Hamas official says group has not rejected Wikoff's proposal for Gaza ceasefire

Deluge and destruction: Gaza tents flooded amid escalating strikes

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 26 Nov 2024 08:25
5 Min Read

The displacement tents, made of fabric and nylon, have been rendered ineffective by harsh weather and prolonged exposure to Gaza’s challenging climate.

Listen
  • x
  • Deluge and destruction: Gaza tents flooded amid escalating strikes
    A tent for forcibly displaced individuals has been severely impacted by flooding (Mahmoud Bassam/X)

Heavy rains have inundated displacement tents across the Gaza Strip, compounding the already dire conditions for Palestinians as Israeli attacks intensify.

The Palestinian Civil Defense warned on Monday that the arrival of winter is ushering in "a real humanitarian catastrophe." Thousands of forcibly displaced individuals have been severely impacted by flooding, prompting urgent calls for global intervention to deliver humanitarian aid to the struggling population.

The Gaza Government has reiterated its plea to the international community and humanitarian organizations to take swift action.

🇵🇸#Gaza | The tents of the displaced people that were set up on the beach of the Gaza Strip in the middle and south were flooded due to the sea tide, while the citizens there are suffering from catastrophic conditions as a result of the winter and cold weather.#ICC pic.twitter.com/0CiSVVBV5v

— Haidar Al-Karrar  (@HaidarAkarar) November 26, 2024

Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal highlighted the devastating impact of the recent rains, saying, “Rainfall has caused severe damage to tents housing thousands of displaced people, with water flowing inside the tents and damaging luggage and mattresses."

"The current situation signals a real humanitarian catastrophe if immediate intervention does not take place,” he stressed.

The Gaza Government Media Office reported that "nearly 10,000 tents were swept away by seawater and damaged over the past two days." It warned that the onset of winter and worsening storm conditions threaten the lives of "hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the Gaza Strip."

In a statement, the office called for urgent humanitarian aid, saying, “We urgently repeat our call for immediate humanitarian aid to save hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the Gaza Strip before it's too late.”

Also decrying the situation, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described another winter in Gaza as a "misery on top of a human tragedy."

He highlighted how throughout the genocide, people in Gaza had to constantly move to escape death, leaving behind everything and left with nothing. And as winter sets in, "temperatures are dropping and rain is starting," leaving people with no "safe shelters, blankets or warm clothes."

"Winter in Gaza means people will not only die because of air strikes, diseases, or hunger. Winter in Gaza means more people will die shivering because of the cold, especially among the most vulnerable including older people and children," he asserted, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Another #winter in #Gaza.
How to describe misery on top of a human tragedy?

Over the past 14 month, people have been constantly displaced to escape death.
They lost everything.
They need everything, but very little comes into Gaza.

Temperatures are dropping & rain is… pic.twitter.com/4OynV1R3Wg

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) November 26, 2024

Related News

36 Israeli strikes on Gaza killed 'only women, children': UN

UN rapporteur warns of 'mass ethnic cleansing' in West Bank

The big picture

Since October 2023, forcible displacement caused by Israeli military actions has surged, with the number of forcibly displaced individuals in Gaza now approaching 2 million. The statement accused "Israel" of committing crimes of forced displacement, stating, “These individuals have been displaced more than five consecutive times and are enduring harsh conditions imposed by the occupation.”

There are currently 543 shelter and displacement centers across Gaza. However, the Media Office reported that "81 percent of the displaced persons’ tents are now unusable," with 110,000 out of 135,000 tents completely deteriorated. These tents, made of fabric and nylon, have been rendered ineffective by harsh weather and prolonged exposure to Gaza’s challenging climate.

“Gaza is facing a deep crisis and a real humanitarian catastrophe as winter sets in and the challenging weather conditions worsen. As a result, 2 million people will soon be left without any shelter, forced to live on the ground and under the sky because of the unusable tents and the closure of Gaza’s border crossings," the office further warned.

The Gaza Government has urged the global community to pressure "Israel" into allowing the entry of 250,000 tents and caravans currently blocked by Israeli occupation forces. It condemned what it described as Israeli atrocities, including "forced displacement, mass expulsion, genocide, systematic killing, and forcing 2 million displaced people to leave their homes for unsuitable, unsafe, and inhumane areas with inadequate tents."

Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal appealed to the United Nations and international agencies for immediate provision of tents and caravans to protect forcibly displaced civilians during winter.

450,000 Gaza refugees at risk in flood-prone areas: UN

The United Nations has raised the alarm over the dire conditions facing displaced families in the Gaza Strip as heavy rainfall causes flooding in multiple areas, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian crisis.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN, told reporters that preparations for the rainy season have been "severely restricted" due to challenges in delivering sufficient aid supplies into the enclave. On Sunday, flooding in Khan Younis and Gaza City damaged the tents and belongings of families already displaced by the ongoing Israeli genocide.

An estimated 1.6 million people—over three-quarters of Gaza’s population—are living in makeshift shelters, with more than 450,000 residing in roughly 100 flood-prone areas, including Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah, and Rafah.

While aid groups have installed sandbags at about 20 of these sites, Dujarric noted that for 90 percent of the flood-risk areas, no effective contingency plans exist if further flooding renders these shelters uninhabitable.

Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces issued new evacuation orders for Palestinians in Gaza City on Sunday, targeting al-Shujaiya and triggering another wave of forcible displacement. The orders come amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.

As the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip continues, Palestinian health authorities said that so far 44,235 Palestinians have been martyred and another 104,638 have been injured, since October 7, 2023.

Several thousand others remain missing, as authorities cannot determine their whereabouts. Many bodies remain stuck under the rubble or stranded in the streets, while others have been abducted by occupation forces. 

Read more: 'Israel' killed over 1,000 doctors, nurses in Gaza

  • Forcible displacement
  • Israeli aggression
  • Israeli occupation forces
  • Gaza genocide
  • Israeli occupation
  • Israeli war crimes
  • Gaza tents
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS