RismadarVoice Reporters
November 7, 2026
Gaza’s Civil Defence has appealed for urgent international humanitarian assistance after heavy rainfall and strong winds flooded displacement camps, damaging hundreds of tents sheltering Palestinian families across the enclave.
The agency said on Saturday that it had received more than 1,500 distress calls from residents whose temporary shelters were damaged as severe weather swept through different parts of the Gaza Strip.
According to the agency, entire displacement camps were affected by flooding, leaving vulnerable families exposed to rain, cold weather and deteriorating living conditions.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Civil Defence officials warned that the scale of the emergency had overwhelmed their limited operational capacity.
They called on international humanitarian organisations to provide replacement tents, emergency shelter materials, water-pumping equipment, fuel and other essential supplies.
The agency said displaced families, particularly women, children, older people and those with medical conditions, faced heightened risks as floodwaters entered their shelters and damaged their belongings.
Civil Defence personnel were reportedly struggling to remove accumulated rainwater because of shortages of machinery and other emergency-response equipment.
The latest storm has worsened an already difficult humanitarian situation for Palestinians living in temporary shelters following prolonged displacement and widespread destruction of residential buildings.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that thousands of tents had been flooded, particularly in low-lying areas where rainwater accumulated rapidly.
It also reported that two Palestinians were injured when part of a previously damaged building collapsed during the heavy rainfall in northern Gaza.
Separately, Al Jazeera reported a partial building collapse in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where Civil Defence personnel evacuated residents.
Many displaced families have been living in makeshift shelters constructed from lightweight materials that offer limited protection against strong winds, rainfall and falling temperatures.
Humanitarian organisations have previously warned that inadequate drainage infrastructure, damaged roads and shortages of suitable accommodation could expose displaced communities to further flooding during the winter season.
Gaza’s Civil Defence urged international agencies to respond immediately, warning that its personnel could not manage the emergency without additional resources.
The agency stressed that providing safe shelter and emergency assistance was essential to preventing further suffering among displaced families.
The full extent of the damage and the number of people requiring immediate assistance remain under assessment as the severe weather continues.
