Displaced Palestinians sheltering in the courtyards of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in Gaza continue to suffer as heavy rain hits the Gaza Strip.

The tents, which displaced Palestinians are taking shelter in and are made of scraps of plastic or fabric, were completely flooded with water within less than 10 minutes, as the surrounding land turned into mud lands and swamps, impeding the movement of people, according to Press TV.

A displaced Palestinian expressed, "This is my tent. It is made of plastic and has an area of four square meters. My family consists of 13 members; we all sleep inside this tent. After it rained the tent was engulfed by half a meter of rain water that soaked our clothes and blankets. Thus we hug each other to warm the children. We will remain steadfast no matter what happens."

#Gaza is grappling with a health emergency exacerbated by cold weather, overcrowded shelters, scarce food, and contaminated water which has resulted in a surge of infectious diseases. The dire situation has overwhelmed hospitals, leaving the sick with limited treatment options.… pic.twitter.com/JY8O5Unwuo

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 14, 2023

Even those taking refuge at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital became trapped, amid the dire lack of basic humanitarian needs and worse atmospheric conditions, with rainwater reaching at least a meter deep.

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Nowhere safe from the cold of winter

Civil defense crews are already facing immense pressures and struggles due to the lack of necessary equipment and constant Israeli bombing. 

A rescue worker said, "You can see the people here are living in tents which were totally flooded with rain water because these tents are not designed or prepared to endure this heavy rain. Despite the lack of the needed equipment, we managed to help the people using some primitive means".

At least 4000 Palestinians have taken shelter at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital since the Israeli forces launched a ground offensive in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

This further adds more fear as the health situation in Gaza continues to be dire and is categorized as catastrophic.

Many hospitals in Gaza have been rendered inoperative due to "Israel's" systematic targeting. Meanwhile, the health services in northern Gaza are facing the most significant impact. The Israeli aggression has forcibly displaced a majority of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes.

Read more: 'Israel' using starvation of civilians as warfare method in Gaza: HRW

Another day, another massacre

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported on Tuesday  that the Israeli occupation committed a a new massacre in the center of Jabalia camp, bombing an entire residential square.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported a rise in the number of casualties in the Jabalia camp massacre, with the death toll now standing at 13 martyrs and 75 injuries, including numerous people in critical condition.

مجزرة مروعة ارتكبتها قوات الاحتلال بالقرب من نادي خدمات مخيم جباليا شمال قطاع غزة pic.twitter.com/4PNIGCoSbp

— بلال نزار ريان (@BelalNezar) December 19, 2023

Concurrently, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Ashraf Al-Qudra said there was adjacent targeting to Jabalia Medical Center, leading to the injury of journalists Islam Badr and Mohammed Ahmed with various injuries.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed that Israeli occupation forces have converted Al-Awda Hospital in the northern part of the Gaza Strip into a "military barracks", detaining 240 Palestinians, including 80 medical personnel, 40 patients, and 120 displaced civilians inside the medical facility.