Heavy rains continue to compound misery of displaced Palestinians in Gaza

Days of heavy rains have flooded hundreds of makeshift shelters across Gaza, piling more misery on displaced Palestinians as Israel continues to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid amid its genocide.

Forcibly displaced families across Gaza are struggling to keep their children warm and save what few belongings they are left with.

While the weather is expected to improve in the coming days, for some, it is already too late. At least seven people, including six babies, have died of hypothermia over the past week.

The cold weather has placed Gaza’s already devastated healthcare system under further strain. A field hospital was flooded in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis city.

The Palestinian Civil Defence says floodwaters rose to more than 30cm (12 inches) in the affected tents, leaving displaced Palestinians exposed to the cold and causing damage to their belongings and mattresses.

The emergency service said the tents – located in areas including northern Gaza City, southern Khan Younis, as well as in central Deir el-Balah – were rendered unusable because of the flooding.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are crammed into unsuitable tents, most of which were hastily set up in Deir el-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah, as Gaza’s 2.4 million residents endure severe shortages of drinkable water, food and medicines.

Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed at least 45,541 Palestinians and wounded 108,338 since October 7, 2023.