Flooding puts hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans at risk, UN warns

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza are facing worsening humanitarian conditions after heavy rains flooded tents and makeshift shelters, while essential materials to reinforce shelters remain barred from entering the enclave, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday.

Torrential rain swept across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, inundating tents housing families displaced by nearly two years of war. Local health officials reported that a baby girl died from exposure as temperatures dropped and shelters collapsed under the weight of water.

According to the media office of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, at least 12 people are dead or missing as a result of the storm. Officials said 13 buildings collapsed and more than 27,000 tents were flooded across the territory.

The IOM warned that nearly 795,000 displaced people are at heightened risk of dangerous flooding, particularly in low-lying areas filled with rubble where families are living in unsafe and temporary shelters. The agency said the lack of drainage systems and waste management has further increased the risk of disease outbreaks.

Despite urgent needs on the ground, materials required to reinforce shelters, including timber, plywood, sandbags and water pumps, have been delayed due to ongoing access restrictions, the IOM added.

Israel says it is meeting its humanitarian obligations and has accused international agencies of inefficiency and of failing to prevent aid diversion by Hamas, allegations the group denies. COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for overseeing humanitarian affairs in Gaza, was not immediately available for comment.

In the central Gaza camp of Nuseirat, floodwater pooled ankle-deep around tents, soaking mattresses, clothing and shoes. Using a bucket, 50-year-old Youssef Tawtah attempted to bail water away from his family’s shelter, but with nowhere for it to drain, his efforts appeared futile.

“All night long the children and I were on our feet,” he said. “How can the children handle it?”

Nearby, his family gathered around a small open fire on a sandy embankment as he dragged a sodden mattress through the water. Even basic tasks such as cooking had become difficult. “Our food is ruined,” he said.

The IOM said supplies that had already entered Gaza, including waterproof tents, thermal blankets and tarpaulins, were unable to withstand the severity of the flooding.

“After this storm made landfall, families are trying to protect their children with whatever they have,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope.

Although a ceasefire has largely held since October, the war has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure, leaving living conditions increasingly dire. UN and Palestinian officials say at least 300,000 additional tents are urgently needed to shelter the approximately 1.5 million people who remain displaced.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said more than 4,000 people are currently living in high-risk coastal areas, with around 1,000 directly affected by high waves from the sea. It warned of serious health threats caused by pollution and poor sanitation.

“Thousands of families are sheltering in low-lying, debris-filled coastal areas with no drainage or protective barriers, and heaps of garbage lining the roads,” said WHO representative Rik Peeperkorn.