The plight of displaced people in the Gaza Strip has dramatically worsened as ongoing military actions combine with increasingly severe weather conditions. Military activity has been reported in areas east of Khan Yunis, resulting in significant explosions and heightened fear among the civilian population.
The arrival of a powerful storm system, bringing heavy rains and strong winds, has devastated already fragile displacement camps. Many makeshift tents have been destroyed or completely uprooted, leaving scores of families exposed to the elements with limited access to shelter and essential supplies.
Civil defense authorities in Rafah have described the humanitarian situation in displacement zones as critically deteriorating. They continue to receive urgent appeals for assistance from affected families. Rescue teams are working tirelessly despite limited resources and equipment, reiterating their plea for international intervention to avert a larger humanitarian catastrophe.
Visual evidence has emerged showing widespread flooding in displacement camps, with seawater inundating tents near the coast. This exacerbates the already dire conditions faced by civilians.
The Union of Gaza Municipalities has warned of the growing risk of disease outbreaks and a collapse of public health services. Restrictions on the entry of essential supplies, particularly fuel needed to operate vital infrastructure, continue to cripple water and sanitation systems. This, coupled with accumulating waste and limited capacity to clear debris, poses a severe environmental threat and increases the risk of disease transmission.
Reports indicate that over a quarter of a million displaced individuals, out of an estimated 1.5 million living in tents and makeshift shelters, have been affected by the recent storms. Tragically, several deaths, including those of children, have been reported since the onset of the severe weather conditions earlier this month. The ongoing storms and rainfall are compounding the suffering of the displaced, many of whom have been forced into the open in freezing temperatures with insufficient humanitarian aid and essential services. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical.
