DaysofPal- Torrential rains submerged thousands of tents across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday as a polar low-pressure system entered the region, worsening the already dire conditions faced by hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians living in makeshift shelters for more than a year.
Local sources reported widespread flooding in displacement camps as the storm arrived, turning fragile tent clusters into pools of mud and cold water.
Families struggled to salvage belongings as the downpour swept through areas where infrastructure has been largely destroyed.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, warned on Tuesday of “major risks” facing the Strip over the coming two days as the deep storm system intensifies over a region already devastated by war and the near-total collapse of basic services.
Speaking via Telegram, Basal said camps, shelter centers, and structurally damaged buildings are at high risk of severe damage and potential collapse, noting that many camps located in low-lying areas are expected to flood completely due to the volume of rain anticipated.
He added that the territory could witness widespread inundation as heavy rainfall overwhelms the broken drainage systems. Residents, he said, are enduring unbearable conditions, with the storm compounding the destruction caused by months of bombardment.
“The war, which has relatively subsided, is now returning in the form of cold, flooding, torrents, and collapses,” Basal warned.
He called for urgent action to bring in caravans and establish temporary infrastructure to provide minimum protection for displaced families.
The Government Media Office in Gaza also issued a warning about the polar storm system, saying it poses a grave threat to hundreds of thousands of displaced families across the Strip. It urged the international community to intervene immediately to avert further humanitarian catastrophe.
According to previous government estimates, Gaza needs around 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to meet the most basic shelter needs after two years of widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The storm arrives as the population continues to grapple with the cumulative impact of war, displacement, and a collapsed humanitarian system, now compounded by cold, flooding, and the absence of safe shelter.
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