Gaza: 70,000 tents submerged, hundreds of thousands homeless

Gaza – Agencies: The Gaza government media office announced yesterday that 70,000 tents housing displaced persons were flooded and dozens of walls collapsed within 12 hours of the onset of a weather system in the Strip. It stated that the collapses resulted in injuries, estimating the initial direct losses at approximately $3 million. Since Friday evening, a weather system accompanied by heavy rains and strong winds has battered the Gaza Strip, exacerbating the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced people living in dilapidated tents lacking heating and protection from rain and cold, amid widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure caused by the Israeli genocide war.

The government media office said, “Amid the start of a catastrophic winter striking the Gaza Strip, and within just 12 hours of the onset of the weather system, we announce the flooding of 70,000 tents sheltering tens of thousands of displaced persons.” It clarified that the weather system also caused “the collapse of dozens of walls, resulting in various injuries, including serious ones, across different governorates of the Strip.” It warned of “the collapse of dozens of cracked and dilapidated buildings due to exposure to shelling during the ongoing Israeli genocide war on the Gaza Strip, which has continued for three consecutive years.”

It noted that preliminary estimates of direct losses from the start of this weather system reached approximately $3 million. The government media office placed full responsibility for these “catastrophic” repercussions on Israel, citing its continued closure of crossings and prevention of the entry of essential shelter and reconstruction materials urgently needed by Palestinians. It called on the international community and all UN and international organizations to intervene immediately and uphold their humanitarian, legal, ethical, and historical responsibilities to save the lives of the displaced and provide them with the means for resilience and protection.

According to previous data from the Gaza government media office in August, more than 2.15 million displaced persons are living in tragic conditions, including approximately 867,000 in dilapidated tents and more than one million in shelter centers. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees and relief, UNRWA, stated that 1.98 million people, representing approximately 94% of Gaza’s population, require shelter and non-food items, based on surveys conducted between June 14 and 28. It explained that the assessment also showed that “58% of the Strip’s population faces critical or catastrophic shelter needs,” pointing to a “severe deficiency in shelter conditions or lack of access to basic services and non-food items.”

In a report published in mid-October 2026, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that approximately 950,000 Palestinians living in displacement sites are exposed to medium or high flood risks, including more than 400,000 in high-risk areas. The report indicated that approximately 294,000 households require shelter assistance during the winter, while available supplies are sufficient to provide only partial assistance to about 52,000 households, equivalent to 18% of the total estimated needs.

Since the start of the Israeli genocide war on October 8, 2023, most areas of the Strip have suffered widespread destruction affecting homes and infrastructure. Repeated displacement has depleted families’ assets and forced many to live in tents and temporary shelters. Despite the passage of a year since the ceasefire agreement entered into force in October 2025, shelter and reconstruction needs far exceed the available aid, amid continued Israeli restrictions on importing materials necessary to secure temporary housing and repair damaged homes.