Flooding of tents in overcrowded displacement camps

Since September 14

• Forcibly displaced Palestinians living in tents along the coast of central Gaza and south Gaza clear were flooded during a high tide.

Gaza's Government Media Office statement :

• On September 14, Gaza's Government Media Office issued an urgent call for humanitarian protection of the two million displaced Palestinians in Gaza ahead of winter.

• 543 displacement centers have been set up in Gaza due to the war and forced displacement, which the Media Office calls a violation of international humanitarian law.

• 74% of the tents used by displaced Palestinians are now unsuitable, with 100,000 out of 135,000 needing replacement due to severe damage. The tents, made from wood, nylon, and fabric, have deteriorated due to extreme weather conditions, especially after 11 months of continuous displacement.

• Israeli forces have blocked the entry of at least a quarter-million tents into Gaza, leaving refugees without proper shelter for the upcoming winter.

• The Media Office held Israel and the U.S. fully accountable for Gaza’s dire situation, calling on Egypt, as well as Arab and Islamic nations, to urgently provide tents and aid.

• 100,000 out of 135,0000 tents sheltering 1.9 million displaced people are damaged. Government Media Office in Gaza: "74% of the tents sheltering 2 million displaced people in the Strip have deteriorated, gone out of service, and become unfit for use. We warn of a humanitarian catastrophe with the onset of winter."

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The first incidents and casualties

• "The rainy season hasn't even started yet,but just five minutes of rain has already flooded us.” Tents belonging to displaced Palestinian families in the al-Zawayda refugee camp in central Gaza were flooded & sustained water damage after heavy rain on Mon.

• On September 16, Mayor of Deir al-Balah claims to Al Arabiya TV: Sea waves threaten 250,000 citizens who set up their tents along the beach.

• Civil defense crews transferred a number of drowning people in the sea of Rafah city, where ambulance crews dealt with two drowning cases and transferred them to the Red Cross Hospital, in Mawasi.

• Dozens of tents for displaced people were submerged along the beaches of Khan Yunis and Central Gaza due to rising waves worsening the the dire conditions caused by #Israel’s continued attacks in the region. Families faced flooding in their temporary makeshift tents, with some having to move to higher ground to avoid the water. The situation remains dangerous, as they are now exposed to both the dangers of the sea and the ongoing occupation and massacres.

• Setember 15 : The tents of the displaced people were flooded on the shore of Al-Qarara port, west of Khan Yunis, after the sea waves rose last night, as winter approaches.

• September 16 : Dozens of makeshift tents housing displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, are inundated by rising seawater, worsening the the dire conditions caused by srael’s continued attacks in the region

Important warning from Civil Defense in Gaza (September 19)

"We warn citizens & displaced persons on the beach of the city of Mawasi, Khan Younis, and the central beach of the dangers of the high sea tide expected from now on, which may cause tents to be swept away".

On November 24, tents flooded again

Testimony of @ezzingaza, Dr. Ezzideen of "Today was one of the coldest days of the year. The bitter wind tore through the streets, carrying with it the chill of the sea. For those living in tents, the day brought more than just cold, it brought devastation. The rising sea flooded the camps, drenching their fragile shelters and leaving families with nowhere dry to escape the icy waters. (...) My thoughts were with my friends and relatives living in tents, battling not only the cold but the floodwaters. How are they surviving this? How do they keep their children warm as seawater soaks through their meager belongings? Did the winds tear their shelters apart? Or worse, did the water swallow what little they had left? What do fathers tell their children on nights like this? What words can they find to soothe their shivering families? Do the world’s leaders know? Do they care? Are these families even a fleeting thought on their minds? Or have they become invisible, forgotten in a world too busy to notice their pain? The cold outside was harsh, but the indifference of the world felt harsher. How many more storms must they endure before someone listens? How many more tents must sink into the flood before the world wakes up? When will their cries reach the ears of those who can bring change?"

On November 25 : Winds Uproot Displaced Families’ Tents on Khan Younis Beach

According to @Mahmoud_Bassam8 : Strong winds on Khan Younis beach, south of Gaza Strip, have uprooted the tents of displaced families, exacerbating their suffering under harsh humanitarian conditions. These families, who fled the bombings seeking refuge on the beach, now face the winter cold without shelter, amidst a lack of essential aid to meet their basic needs.

On December 30 : tents and shelters were flooded by rainwater

Gaza’s civil defence says it received hundreds of distress calls from displaced people whose tents and shelters were flooded by rainwater. Gaza’s Government Media Office said on Monday that “bitter cold and frost” hitting “dilapidated tents” in the strip’s camps had killed seven people, including 6 infants and an adult healthcare worker. Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudari said: “You can’t imagine the situation right now. We are all freezing and shaking due to the very cold weather. … Especially those who are in al-Mawasi very close to the beach are suffering from the cold.”

31 December Hamas statement:

The Hamas has asked for *“relief supplies and tents to protect hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians from the cold and the disastrous effects” of Israel’s attacks on the enclave.(...) “The humanitarian and legal duty of the international community and the UN requires urgent action to provide relief to our people in the Gaza Strip, who have been subjected to a Zionist crime of genocide and ethnic cleansing.” *

Israel continues to strictly restrict the entry of aid into the enclave, including winter supplies.

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