Severe storms have devastated Gaza’s overcrowded displacement camps, with local officials reporting that at least 70,000 tents were flooded within a single 12-hour period. Families are struggling to salvage their few remaining belongings, as heavy rainfall soaked mattresses and blankets, leaving many residents with nowhere to sleep but the cold, wet ground. Emergency services are overwhelmed, having fielded over 1,500 distress calls, and they warn that their ability to assist is severely hampered by a critical lack of fuel and damaged infrastructure caused by the ongoing conflict.

The situation is exacerbated by a chronic shortage of essential supplies, including tarpaulins and construction materials, leaving families largely defenseless against the elements. While the Israeli military agency COGAT noted efforts to improve drainage and waste management, displaced residents express growing despair, feeling abandoned as winter weather sets in. With the territory's infrastructure in ruins and no clear timeline for reconstruction or a sustainable ceasefire, thousands of families trapped in these makeshift shelters fear that their circumstances will only deteriorate as the rainy season continues.