RismadarVoice Reporters
November 11, 2026
Heavy rainfall and strong winds have triggered widespread flooding across the Gaza Strip, destroying temporary shelters and worsening the humanitarian crisis facing thousands of displaced Palestinians.
According to a report published by Al Jazeera on Wednesday, November 11, the flooding has exposed the severe deterioration of Gaza’s drainage, sewage and emergency response systems following years of conflict.
Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that approximately 70,000 tents had been submerged or damaged, affecting an estimated 350,000 people.
Floodwaters reportedly reached depths of nearly 1.5 metres in some displacement camps, leaving families struggling to protect their belongings and find safe shelter.
Local authorities said more than 700 kilometres of sewage infrastructure had been destroyed during the war, significantly reducing the territory’s capacity to manage heavy rainfall.
Gaza’s Civil Defence reportedly received over 2,000 emergency calls within 12 hours of the storm but responded to only 218 because of fuel shortages and damaged equipment.
Husni Muhanna, spokesperson for Gaza City Municipality, said the municipality had lost approximately 85 per cent of its vehicles and heavy machinery during the conflict.
He explained that only one frequently malfunctioning bulldozer and two water suction trucks remained available for municipal operations.
The city’s drainage capacity has also deteriorated, with six of its eight sewage pumps destroyed and approximately 2,800 of its original 4,800 stormwater drains no longer functioning.
Residents and business owners reported extensive damage to homes, tents and commercial properties as municipal workers struggled to remove floodwaters.
Local authorities have prepared an emergency winter response plan requiring approximately $1.3 million in equipment and essential materials.
However, officials said shortages of funding, fuel, spare parts and restrictions on supplies entering Gaza continued to undermine emergency operations.
The Government Media Office estimated that Gaza urgently requires between 300,000 and 350,000 tents and reinforced shelters, alongside hundreds of heavy machines and more than 1,000 water pumps.
Officials also appealed for winter clothing, blankets, mattresses and heating equipment to protect displaced families from worsening weather conditions.
Humanitarian concerns remain particularly acute for children, older people and families living in overcrowded displacement camps.
Local authorities warned that without urgent restoration of drainage infrastructure and increased humanitarian assistance, further rainfall could expose more residents to flooding, displacement and serious health risks.
