SAEDNEWS: Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and its ongoing siege have left the territory’s infrastructure unable to withstand winter storms. Heavy rainfall is flooding thousands of displacement tents, exposing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to severe and dangerous conditions.
According to Saednews, The latest flooding has highlighted the devastating consequences of the destruction of Gaza’s sewage and stormwater systems, as well as restrictions on emergency equipment, fuel and humanitarian aid.
According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, 70,000 tents have been flooded or damaged, affecting approximately 350,000 people. Floodwaters reached nearly 1.5 metres in some displacement camps.
More than 700 kilometres of sewage networks have been destroyed. Gaza City has also lost approximately 2,800 of the 4,800 stormwater drains that existed before the war.
The crisis has placed enormous pressure on emergency services. Gaza’s Civil Defence received more than 2,000 distress calls within 12 hours of the storm but was able to respond to only 218 due to fuel shortages and damaged equipment.
Municipal authorities are also facing severe shortages of machinery and equipment as a result of Israel’s military campaign.
“The municipality lost about 85 percent of its fleet of vehicles and heavy equipment during the war, after the Israeli occupation destroyed more than 135 vehicles, mechanisms, and equipment, leaving it with only 15 percent of the total previous fleet,” Husni Muhanna, a spokesman for Gaza City municipality, told Al Jazeera.
He added that six of Gaza City’s eight sewage pumping stations had been destroyed, reducing drainage capacity to approximately 20 percent.
Meanwhile, Palestinian shop owner Ramadan Rabaa said floodwaters had swept through his business in western Gaza City, destroying merchandise and causing significant financial losses. Municipal crews were unable to provide much assistance due to shortages of pumps, bulldozers and water suction trucks.
The municipality has developed a $1.3 million emergency winter response plan, but Israeli restrictions on the entry of essential supplies threaten its implementation.
Gaza is also facing a severe shortage of shelters and essential winter supplies. Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of the Government Media Office, said the territory needs up to 350,000 tents, 1,500 water pumps, 500 heavy machines and generators.
Further requirements include 2.2 million winter clothing kits, 5 million heavy blankets and approximately 400,000 heaters for Gaza’s population of 2.3 million.
Mobile homes promised under the October 2025 ceasefire agreement have also been delayed at the border, leaving displaced Palestinians increasingly exposed to harsh winter conditions.
