DaysofPal – Heavy rains have flooded thousands of makeshift tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, compounding the suffering of civilians after more than two years of Israel’s devastating war on the enclave.
Downpours that preceded Storm Byron began before dawn on Wednesday, submerging vast areas across Gaza’s battered landscape and overwhelming the fragile shelters of families already uprooted multiple times.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence, warned in a video statement that the severe weather was creating an “imminent humanitarian disaster,” with conditions deteriorating rapidly.
A day earlier, the Gaza Government Media Office had cautioned that a polar low-pressure system would strike Gaza from Wednesday through Friday evening, placing hundreds of thousands of displaced families at further risk.
Gaza’s municipal systems, especially wastewater networks, have been largely destroyed or severely damaged during the two-year conflict. As a result, floodwater from heavy storms is likely to mix with untreated sewage, sharply increasing the danger of waterborne diseases such as dysentery and cholera.
With rubbish collection mostly halted, enormous piles of solid waste have accumulated throughout the enclave.
Heavy rainfall may now mobilize medical waste, plastics, animal remains, and debris into areas where displaced civilians are seeking shelter.
Groundwater sources relied on by residents risk contamination, while damaged stormwater drainage and non-functional pumping stations could leave surface flooding stagnant for days, creating further health hazards.
Basal stressed that the limited aid entering Gaza remains far below what is needed to address the humanitarian emergency affecting the territory’s 2.4 million people. He called for immediate international intervention to prevent further deterioration.
According to earlier data released by the media office, Gaza urgently requires around 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units simply to meet the most basic shelter needs after widespread destruction of infrastructure over the course of the war.
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