Gaza’s Civil Defense: Heavy rain causes severe damage to tents sheltering displaced Palestinians

GAZA, Nov. 24 (YPA) -The Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip confirmed on Sunday that tents housing thousands of displaced people across various parts of the Gaza Strip have suffered severe damage after rainwater flooded inside, leading to the destruction of belongings and sleeping areas.

According to the Civil Defense statement, the affected areas include: the Yarmouk Stadium shelter camp, Gaza Municipality Park, the Beach Camp area, and tents set up in some schools.

It added that The central and southern Gaza areas include Wadi Al-Dumaytha in Al-Qarara, Wadi Al-Salqa, Al-Amal neighborhood Pond, the campus of Al-Aqsa University, Al-Shakoush in Al-Mawasi, Rafah, and the Al-Birka and Saqal Al-Bahr areas in Deir Al-Balah were also affected by heavy rain.

The Civil Defense raised concerns, asking humanitarian organizations and the international community how these tents were damaged by just light rainfall, questioning how they would withstand heavier and continuous rain. They emphasized that this is a catastrophic humanitarian situation for the displaced families if they remain in such conditions, with many tents no longer fit for shelter.

The statement also warned of significant risks for the displaced, especially in low-lying areas that could be flooded by rain, due to the blockage of sewage systems from the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure by Israeli forces. There is a serious concern that homes and buildings sheltering displaced Palestinians, which are already unsafe and on the verge of collapse due to Israeli airstrikes, could be further endangered.

The Civil Defense called on the international humanitarian community and the United Nations to urgently assist in saving the lives of displaced Palestinians in Gaza’s camps by providing them with proper tents and caravans to protect them from the harsh winter conditions.

@E.Y.M