November 16, 2025 | 12:50 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Heavy rain that hit the Gaza Strip from Friday to Saturday morning flooded thousands of tents, soaking clothes, bedding, and remaining belongings. The condition further exacerbated the suffering of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza who have been displaced since the Israeli genocide on October 7, 2023.
Israeli military attacks have destroyed 92 percent of residential buildings in Gaza, forcing most residents to take shelter in tents that no longer provide protection during the summer or winter. According to the estimate by the Gaza government media office, as reported by TRT World, 93 percent of all refugee tents-125,000 out of 135,000-are no longer suitable for shelter due to weather conditions and damage from Israeli bombings.
Some Gaza residents are still living in their damaged homes, despite the risk of collapse due to floods and rain.
"Officials in Gaza have received hundreds of pleas for help," said Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense, to journalists. "but the resources are nonexistent."
"Entire shelter centers have seen water levels rise to more than 10 centimeters (3.94 inches). Mattresses are soaked, blankets are drenched and there are no options left — because every option has been destroyed by Israel," Basal said.
Storms are common in Gaza at the moment. However, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced from permanent shelters, even normal rainfall can flood the area and worsen the already dire conditions.
Palestinians who are displaced in Gaza City told CNN that the tents they occupy are worn out, with some collapsing due to heavy rain.
"We have been flooded by the rain, us and our little children," said Raed Al-Alayan. "Our tents were flooded. There is no roof to protect us from the rain."
A woman led CNN around and entered her family's soaked tents, where she accommodated 20 children, including a newborn baby. She began to lament and cry as she described the situation she was experiencing.
"Where should we go?" she asked several times. "My son who was killed built these tents for us. What am I supposed to do now?"
UN Efforts
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, as reported by WAFA and cited by Antara, expressed concern that "thousands of refugee families are now truly exposed to extreme weather conditions, increasing concerns for health and protection issues."
Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that partners providing shelter support have mobilized rapid response teams. For several weeks, they have been working to minimize the impact of the rain expected to pour across the entire Gaza region.
OCHA reported that just last Thursday, about 1,000 tents were distributed to families in Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis. Since Sunday to Wednesday, partners also provided about 7,000 blankets for over 1,800 families, around 15,000 tarpaulins for over 3,700 families, and winter clothes for more than 500 families.
Urging Israel to Open Aid Access
Nonetheless, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Saturday, November 15, 2025, called on Israel to open access for shelter supplies to enter Gaza during the harsh weather conditions.
"Winter has come to Gaza," stated UNRWA in the US media, X, as reported by Anadolu. "Winter rains in Gaza are making conditions even more desperate. Families taking shelter anywhere they can, including in makeshift tents."
The UN agency reaffirmed that they have essential shelter supplies in stock for Gaza "to help people get through winter."
Israel continues to block the entry of shelter materials, such as tents and caravans. They have disregarded obligations under the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on October 10, 2025.
Israel has killed more than 69,000 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza since October 2023 and razed the enclave to the ground.
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