Heavy Rains Deepen Gaza’s Displacement Crisis

Heavy rains across parts of the Middle East have worsened conditions for displaced Palestinians in Gaza, flooding at least 70,000 tents over a single day, according to authorities in the enclave. Tens of thousands of people sheltering in the tents were affected. No deaths had been reported, though some people were injured; some tents were washed away, and mattresses and blankets were soaked. The article places the flooding within the wider destruction and displacement caused by the war between Israel and Hamas. More than 1.6 million of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents are now living in tents or other makeshift shelters. UN data cited in the report says around 80% of structures in the enclave have been damaged, with two-thirds destroyed. Many people have been displaced repeatedly and face the choice of living in inadequate shelters or entering buildings that may be at risk of collapse. The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine appealed for humanitarian aid. It said about 950,000 people live in areas vulnerable to flooding, including more than 400,000 in areas it described as being at high risk. The committee said rainfall was compounding an already catastrophic situation and leaving displaced families without basic necessities. The report also gives the context of the war: it says about 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when Hamas and affiliated groups attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The UN, EU, US and Israel, among others, designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. A UN commission of inquiry and leading human rights organizations have accused Israel of genocide in Gaza; Israel rejects the accusation and says its military acts in accordance with international law.

Heavy rain caused deadly flooding in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and inundated displacement camps in Gaza, where residents and emergency services had few resources to respond. In Erbil, rainfall on Saturday evening rose far beyond forecasts: preliminary estimates put it at 80 millimetres, compared with an expected 30. The floods killed two people, including a five-year-old child whose car was swept up in the New Erbil neighbourhood, and a volunteer bulldozer operator who was helping residents and emergency responders near Hiwa City. Governor Omed Khoshnaw said flooding affected most of Erbil, damaging homes, businesses, vehicles, roads, public infrastructure and the electricity network. He urged people to stay indoors so rescue and relief teams could work. Flooding is a recurring hazard in the region; similar rains last year killed five people and damaged thousands of homes. In Gaza, officials said at least 70,000 tents sheltering displaced Palestinians were flooded in 12 hours, and the civil defence service received 1,500 distress calls. Some residents were injured, but no deaths were reported. People tried to reinforce tents, remove water and rescue children from flooded shelters, while soaked bedding left some families sleeping on the ground. Residents described being overwhelmed as rain continued to threaten camps already lacking adequate protection. Municipal and civil defence officials said fuel shortages and Israeli-damaged vehicles and pumping equipment hampered their response. Hamas accused Israel of restricting the entry of shelter and construction materials; Israel’s aid-coordination agency, Cogat, did not immediately respond to that accusation. Cogat said it had coordinated pre-storm sanitation work and reported that additional vacuum trucks had entered Gaza to support sewage pumping, waste removal and infrastructure repairs. A US-brokered ceasefire envisaged Gaza’s eventual reconstruction, but negotiations have stalled over Hamas disarmament and an Israeli troop withdrawal. The article situates the flooding within the wider devastation of the war, reporting that most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and that Palestinian authorities put the territory’s death toll since the start of Israel’s assault at more than 74,600.

Heavy rainfall flooded at least 70,000 tents sheltering displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip within 12 hours, according to the Hamas-run Gaza government media office. The downpour soaked bedding and belongings, damaged temporary shelters and left many families struggling to keep rainwater out. Several people were injured, though no deaths were reported. Gaza’s civil defence service received about 1,500 emergency calls, and three abandoned buildings collapsed without causing injuries. At a makeshift camp in Gaza City, residents tried to salvage their belongings, repair tents and pile sand around shelters. Displaced resident Olfat Magdoub said her family had already been overwhelmed on the first day of rain. She recalled previously spending four nights on blankets on the floor after water soaked their bedding; the latest flooding had again left mattresses wet. Another resident, Rafiq Ghattas, said families lacked tarpaulins, tents and meaningful assistance. Municipal and civil defence officials said fuel shortages and damaged equipment were hampering emergency work. They attributed the loss of hundreds of vehicles, including bulldozers and water-pumping equipment, to Israeli military operations during the war. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s population of more than two million and left much of the territory in ruins, with many people living in tent settlements. Hamas accused Israel of restricting shelter and construction-material deliveries. COGAT did not immediately answer the allegation, but said it had stepped up sanitation work ahead of the rain in cooperation with international organisations. It also reported that four vacuum trucks had recently entered Gaza through the International Committee of the Red Cross, adding to eight delivered the previous month. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire envisaged reconstruction, but progress has been limited amid stalled talks over Hamas’s disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal. Israeli forces continue to control around two-thirds of Gaza. Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its military offensive after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people.

Heavy rainfall has flooded thousands of tents used as shelter by displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, including in Deir al-Balah. The flooding is compounding the severe hardships faced by families already forced from their homes. Residents report that overflowing sewage has mixed with the floodwater, worsening conditions in the camps and creating an unsanitary environment. Families are trying to protect what they own by constructing makeshift earthen barriers and manually draining water from their tents. Many have been unable to save essential belongings, which were soaked and rendered unusable. The report describes an immediate emergency for people living in temporary shelters, where heavy rain has damaged possessions and further undermined already dire living conditions. The video report was produced by Clémence Waller and published by France 24 on November 8, 2026.