jordan pulse -

​AMMAN
​Rains accompanying a winter low-pressure system have compounded the suffering of displaced persons across the Gaza Strip, as waters inundated their tents and submerged their belongings amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions and a complete absence of alternative shelters.
​The Government Media Office in Gaza reported that approximately 70,000 displacement tents were flooded due to the weather system, pointing to losses estimated in the millions of dollars. Dozens of walls collapsed, resulting in injuries caused by heavy rains and strong winds, alongside dozens of damaged buildings facing imminent risk of collapse.
​Rainwater flooded displaced persons' camps across various areas of the Strip, destroying the belongings of families living under harsh humanitarian conditions without alternative shelters available.
​In the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, rainwater mixed with sewage in displacement camps, threatening the spread of diseases and epidemics amid deteriorating environmental and health conditions, accompanied by the proliferation of rodents and pests.
​Rising Water Levels and Desperate Calls for Relief
​Civil Defense Spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal warned that water levels inside shelter centers and displacement tents rose to more than 70 centimeters, reaching nearly one meter in certain locations, emphasizing that several shelter centers cannot withstand additional rainfall.
​Bassal explained that the floodwaters ruined bedding, belongings, and essential supplies, forcing thousands of families to spend the night in the open air after their tents were submerged.
​Amid the expanding scope of damage, Civil Defense crews received over 1,500 emergency distress calls since the weather system began. However, crews were unable to respond to all calls due to a severe shortage of equipment and water pumps, forcing teams to withdraw from sites requiring resources beyond their available capacity.
​Bassal warned of the dangers posed by damaged and unstable buildings, highlighting the collapse of two buildings in Gaza City and the Nuseirat area. He also cited the hazard of hanging concrete blocks falling from rain- and wind-damaged structures, particularly in coastal zones densely populated with displacement tents.
​Critical Shortages in Shelter Supplies and Equipment
​Regarding shelter needs, Gaza Governorate Civil Defense Director Raed Al-Dahshan stated that the Strip requires 300,000 tents to provide adequate shelter for the displaced, given the deterioration of existing tents and continuous rainwater leakage. He noted that the Civil Defense currently possesses no tents or tarpaulins to house affected families.
​Al-Dahshan called for the immediate entry of tents, caravans, building materials, rescue equipment, and fire trucks, explaining that current Civil Defense capabilities are strictly limited to life-saving operations and evacuating residents from high-risk locations.
​He added that Civil Defense crews have been communicating with relevant bodies and international organizations for over four months to secure necessary equipment, but Israeli authorities continue to prevent its entry into the Strip.
​For its part, the Ministry of Social Development stated that the Gaza Strip urgently requires 200,000 tents to replace dilapidated ones, along with 300,000 tarpaulins to cover minimum shelter requirements for the displaced.
​The damage extended to educational facilities within displacement camps, where rainwater leaked into classrooms, forcing a complete suspension of classes, while families lost their bedding, blankets, clothing, and personal belongings.
​The suffering has worsened significantly for children, infants, the elderly, and women, particularly widows supporting their children without adequate shelter or basic necessities during these severe weather conditions.
​In the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, displacement camps face recurring flooding during winter systems due to soil saturation and rising water tables. Approximately 125,000 families residing in tents along the coastal strip face the threat of their shelters being washed away by high waves and tides.
​These developments occur as the humanitarian crisis in the Strip persists following the entry into force of the ceasefire in October 2025, with the death toll reaching 1,610 martyrs and nearly 6,000 injured, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
​Source: Rum News Agency