Gaza Strip: Hundreds of tents sheltering thousands of displaced Palestinians were flooded or blown away due to heavy rains and strong winds in Rafah and Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip. The displaced were forced to spend the past night outdoors, exposed to bitter cold and winds that tore apart what remained of their tattered tents, rendering them unfit to provide any protection in such harsh weather conditions.
According to Qatar News Agency, the heavy rainfall across Gaza’s governorates has worsened the suffering of tens of thousands of Palestinians whose homes were destroyed by the Israeli occupation’s genocidal war, as a weather depression continues to impact Palestinian territories. The displaced face extremely harsh conditions amid freezing cold and fierce winds, with thousands living in makeshift tents made of nylon and thin fabric that offer minimal protection from rain and storms.
Those who returned to the northern part of the Strip also struggle to set up and secure their tents amid unfavorable weather conditions, coupled with severe shortages of food and a complete lack of heating materials. The crisis is further exacerbated by the absence of fuel, leaving families unable to secure any means of warmth as nighttime temperatures drop.
The Palestinian Meteorological Department (PMD) earlier warned of the impact of the weather depression, citing wind speeds reaching up to 80 km/h in some gusts, the risk of flash floods in valleys and low-lying areas, reduced visibility, and the danger of slippery roads.