Rain and floods bring new misery to Gaza camps as displaced brace for winter weather

Downpours have deluged makeshift tents sheltering those who fled the fighting

Displaced Palestinians gather as floodwater surrounds their tents at a camp in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Reuters

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Gaza has been hit with heavy rain over the past two days that has flooded makeshift tents in overcrowded camps, compounding the misery of the displaced people and heightening fears of the challenges winter will bring.

Tents housing Gazans who have had to move several times since the war began almost a year ago have been washed away, with the worst-affected areas being Deir Al Balah, Khan Younis and Al Mawasi camp. With a flimsy tent offering little to no protection against the rain, Mohammed Jundieh is one of many Gazans whose temporary shelter was submerged.

“As soon as the rain started, we were flooded and the situation became unbearable,” Mr Jundieh, who is sheltering in Khan Younis, told The National. “It's a terrible state that no one can endure. If it drizzles, we drown, so what happens when it pours multiple times a day?”

Initially displaced from Gaza city’s Shujaiya neighbourhood, the father of five sought refuge in Rafah with his family – an arrangement he thought would be temporary. However, heavy fighting in the southern city sent him fleeing again. As the water crept into the camps, residents tried in vain to remove it with cloths, plastic and wooden sticks, Mr Jundieh said.

“It seems everyone is sitting comfortably in their homes, secure with their families, except for the people of Gaza, who die a million times a day,” he said. “The tent is torture in summer and misery in winter; in all circumstances, we are suffering immensely.”

During the hotter months, the plastic tents became too hot, making it difficult to sleep, Mr Jundieh added.

More than 41,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli aggression on Gaza since October. Access to food and clean water has been scarce in the territory and the spread of diseases has been on the rise.

In addition to the rain, strong winds have blown away some tents, residents said. The UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned of limited access to new tents as the weather begins to worsen, and is calling for an increase in humanitarian aid amid an Israeli blockade.

“There are nowhere near enough tarps and tents available to respond to the rising needs of displaced families,” UNRWA posted on X.

“As autumn begins, plastic and fabric are not enough to protect people against the rain and the cold,” the agency added in a separate post, alongside footage showing flooded makeshift camps.

Some have turned to other materials or blankets to create cover above their heads. Maryam Al Samari, sheltering in Al Mawasi camp, said she had been living in a tent made from flour sacks but it had been destroyed by the rain and wind.

“We don’t have the money to buy plastic sheeting; we left our home without anything 11 months ago. We had no funds because we spent everything on our new house before the war,” she said.

With another winter of conflict looming, many families fear the worst. Last winter, aid organisations struggled to deliver sufficient supplies to help Palestinians survive the bleak conditions.