Gaza Flooding Submerges Tents and Damages Shelters as Networks Fail

Heavy rain and strong winds hit the Gaza Strip, causing widespread flooding that submerged tents in displacement camps and damaged shelters across the enclave.

A deep weather depression exposed the catastrophic deterioration of Gaza’s stormwater and sewage networks, sending floodwaters through displacement camps where water levels reached nearly 1.5 metres in some areas. Al Jazeera reported that Ramadan Rabaa, a Palestinian shop owner in western Gaza City, watched floodwaters sweep through his premises and destroy large quantities of goods.

Upon reaching the location, municipal workers found themselves unable to provide substantial assistance because of critical shortages in machinery and gear.

The media office reported that more than 700km of Gaza’s sewage network has been destroyed during the war that began in October 2023. Gaza’s Civil Defence was swamped with upwards of 2,000 emergency requests in the 12 hours following the storm, yet managed to answer only 218 due to broken-down equipment and depleted fuel supplies.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that heavy rains from the evening of November 6 through the weekend caused widespread flooding, building collapses, and service disruptions. OCHA said that humanitarian partners received appeals from over 26,000 households whose shelters or belongings were damaged.

US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace urged Israel to allow essential aid into Gaza, calling its response to the massive weekend flooding “insufficient.” Seasonal rains swamped tens of thousands of tents across the enclave, where nearly 2 million Palestinians are displaced, according to the United Nations.

“The urgent entry and distribution of essential shelter, sanitation, drainage, and other winterization supplies is critical to protecting civilian lives,” the Board of Peace said in a statement.

The Israeli prime minister’s office responded that Israel would continue to support winter preparedness in Gaza while pointing to other humanitarian supplies that had entered the territory. A statement from the office added that as long as Hamas remains in power, it will use dual-use items to expand its military arsenal.

Former UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini characterized the board’s evaluation of Israel’s measures as a severe understatement. Lazzarini noted its rare recognition that Israel is not doing enough, while also criticising the board for not using its influence to address the situation.

On November 8, OCHA reported that over 150,000 tents purchased by humanitarian partners and member states were sitting outside Gaza ready to be dispatched, including about 117,000 tents from the Egyptian Relief Committee in Al-Arish. Shelterbox, a charity working in crisis zones, said that emergency tents it usually supplies had been waiting outside Gaza for almost two years.

Husni Muhanna, a spokesman for the Gaza City municipality, told Al Jazeera that the city lost about 85 percent of its vehicle fleet and heavy equipment during the war. The municipality currently relies on only one bulldozer and two water suction trucks, with most water and sewage pumps out of service.

The winter months find numerous Gaza residents short on vital provisions, a situation brought on by widespread housing destruction and repeated displacement, according to Ismail al-Thawabta. Mobile homes intended to enter Gaza as part of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement remain held up on the border.

Following heavy rains on Sunday night, a sand embankment in Deir al-Balah gave way and crashed down onto the tents of displaced Palestinians, resulting in the deaths of a woman and three children, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported.

Michal Maayan, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, said Israel had put in place a winter plan in coordination with the Board of Peace and international charities. That plan has brought in more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks with tarpaulins, blankets, and winter clothing, according to the Israeli military body COGAT.

COGAT said that the reconstruction of Gaza can only begin after Hamas fully disarms, and that Israel will not permit the entry of equipment that could be used to develop terrorist capabilities.