Heavy rains and storms have flooded tens of thousands of tents in Gaza – washing away family shelters, destroying their few remaining belongings, and putting children at risk of illness and hypothermia.
Nearly 1 million displaced people in Gaza are now at risk of flooding over the next few months as winter sets in1. Most of them are trapped in dangerously overcrowded camps, sheltering in torn tents or bomb-damaged buildings which offer little protection from winter’s harsh rains and cold nights.
The Israeli blockade continues to restrict the entry of basic humanitarian supplies that are vital for winter, including durable shelter materials, essential medical supplies and fuel to run generators. With winter set to bring further suffering, the international community must urgently increase pressure on Israel to stop impeding aid.
Islamic Relief has launched a winter appeal to provide thousands of displaced families in Gaza with assistance, but much more is needed.
Families report the new storm flooded tents with raw sewage, soaking their bedding and clothes and leaving many without anywhere to sleep. Children have to wade through flooded streets to get to school.
More than 1.9 million people in Gaza urgently need shelter, with some 200,000 tents now old and severely worn out and unable to withstand strong winds and rainfall. Around 60% of people’s tents require immediate replacement.
Layla*, an Islamic Relief aid worker in Gaza, said the rains brought chaos and panic:
“Everyone is just running to protect what they can, to try to save their shelter from flooding. In just the first day of this rainstorm, local emergency reports confirmed that around 70,000 worn-out tents sheltering tens of thousands of displaced families were flooded, while dozens of cracked walls and roofs collapsed on those seeking cover. Behind every single one of those numbers is a family shivering in the mud, watching the rain wash away the very last pieces of their dignity and safety. The rain didn’t wash away our pain; it just made the rubble heavier and the cold deeper.”
Displaced families in Gaza are already living in desperate conditions. Israel has expelled Palestinians from approximately 65% of Gaza, confining almost 2.1 million people into just 35% of the land. Families are packed into camps where there is little safe water or sanitation, with rising cases of skin diseases, respiratory infections and other illnesses.
Gaza’s electricity supply has been cut off, leaving people reliant on generators to heat homes or keep vital healthcare and sanitation services going – but the restrictions on fuel entering Gaza make it almost impossible to keep generators running. The price of engine oil for generators recently rocketed to $900 per litre and about 70% of hospital generators are currently out of service.
As the floods get worse, aid workers and medics expect to see an increase in illnesses over the next few months, especially among the most vulnerable groups such as young children and elderly people, but most people still cannot access decent healthcare.
Notes
Despite the enormous challenges, Islamic Relief and local partners are providing families in Gaza with food, education, maternal healthcare, cash and vouchers, psychosocial support, and other vital aid.
1 950,000 people are living in sites at medium or high risk of flooding, according to the UN-coordinated Shelter Cluster. Two thirds of displaced people are living in tents or makeshift shelters.
